Results 761-780 of 6,386 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Through the new Student Accommodation Strategy, which is in development, my focus will be on increasing the supply of student accommodation to benefit students and also to free up private rental homes. I will focus on a combination of digs accommodation, examination of vacant property, and the development and leasing of purpose-built student accommodation. I will also examine sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Funding the Future framework, published in May 2022, outlines the Government’s vision for how higher education will be funded and how it will support students, employers and wider society. The framework identified an amount of €307 million as representing the quantum of increase in core funding required to deliver enhanced performance, strategic reforms and strengthened...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I would like to assure the Deputy that I fully understand the importance of adult education and its ability to empower individuals, enhance their learning and provide new opportunities. Ensuring access to education for adults is essential for personal development, career progression and community enrichment. As the state agency responsible for the further education and training sector,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The main form of financial assistance available to higher education students is the Student Grant Scheme administered by SUSI. Maintenance grants under the Student Grant Scheme are awarded either at a higher non-adjacent rate or an adjacent rate, depending on the distance between the applicant’s normal residence and the college attended. As the Deputy may be aware I recently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Island Communities (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Green and sustainability-focused skills in construction are essential for meeting this Government’s ambitious climate targets set out in the Climate Action Plan as well as to meet needs of the islands. In keeping with policy measure 2.10 of the ‘Our Living Islands Action Plan 2023-2026’, which aims to actively promote apprenticeships and skilled trades as a valuable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Research and Training (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: My Department and I committed to expanding the number of places available on Medicine Programmes in a sustainable way in collaboration with my cabinet colleague Minister Carroll McNeill and her officials in the Department of Health. In July 2022, along with the Minister for Health, an agreement was announced to increase the number of annual intake places available for Irish and EU students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: In line with Section 24 of the Universities Act, 1997, the Governing Authority is responsible for the appointment of a person to be the chief officer (President) of its university. The Minister has no role in this process. The position of President in the University of Galway has been vacant since Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh resigned from his position on September 6th 2024....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Funding the Future Framework published in May 2022, outlines the vision for how higher education will be funded and how this will support students, employers and wider society. The Framework identified an amount of €307 million as representing the quantum of increase in core funding required to deliver enhanced performance, strategic reforms and strengthened quality of outcomes. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: My Department's Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 aims to make apprenticeship visible and recognised by learners, employers, family and career guidance professionals by promoting and incentivising uptake on apprenticeship programmes as an attractive route to qualifications and a career. Targeted financial supports are offered to apprentices through the Access to Apprenticeship...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Our higher education system plays an important role in supporting and promoting the use of the Irish language. I am determined to see that students who wish to learn and continue to use Irish at third level be given opportunities to do so. To this end, officials from my Department sit on the Steering Committee for the new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. It should be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The new Student Accommodation Strategy is currently at development stage. In this strategy, my focus will be on increasing the supply of student accommodation to benefit students and to free up private rental homes. I will focus on a combination of digs accommodation, examination of vacant properties, and the development and leasing of purpose-built student accommodation. I will also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 61 together. I remain committed to easing the financial burden on students and families in accessing education and training. In advance of Budget 2026, and as my Department did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out the various possible measures to address the costs of education. This will include options in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: As the Deputy will be aware, students eligible for the Free Fees Initiative have their tuition fees paid by the State, exclusive of the student contribution. Over 143,000 undergraduate students benefit from the scheme each year, at a cost of over €368 million. This universal scheme is paid as a grant on behalf of students without any means testing. Students pay a student contribution...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is a pathway for degree holders who want to pursue a medical career on an accelerated four-year programme. Students pursuing GEM programmes do so as second degree courses and consequently are not eligible for free fees funding. They are also not eligible for funding under the Student Grant Scheme as they do not meet the progression criteria of the Scheme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Green skills are essential for ensuring Ireland achieves our targets set out in the Climate Action Plan 2024. My Department has been working with the tertiary sector to develop the skills required to support the green transition – from developing transferable green skills for life to specific requirement for emerging key green sectors such as Nearly Zero Energy Buildings/ Retrofit,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 54 together. A key pillar in my department's Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 are to ensure that apprenticeships will be recognised and valued by employers across all sectors of the economy as a key mechanism for building a highly skilled workforce. To incentivise participation in apprenticeships, a grant of €2,000 per year per apprentice...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: As part of the Student Accommodation Short-Term Activation Programme, the University of Galway received approval to progress a proposed leasing project for approximately 242 additional beds over 15 years, subject to review. An assessment was commenced by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) as part of the due diligence process, however during the ongoing assessment the proposal was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: An apprenticeship system that delivers a highly skilled workforce which contributes to maintaining productivity, competitiveness and sustainable growth in the economy is a priority for government. The Action Plan for Apprenticeship published in 2021 has been, and remains, a key pillar in my department's workplan to achieve this goal. Significant progress has been made since 2021. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Deputy will be aware that Galway Roscommon ETB (GRETB) have been supported by SOLAS in developing their Preliminary Business Case (PBC) proposal for Galway City under the Further Education and Training (FET) College of the Future Major Projects fund. The development of a robust PBC is fundamental to the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines. The proposal put forward by GRETB...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: There has been significant investment in the growth of apprenticeships since the creation of this Department in 2020 and we are on track to reach the target of 10,000 registrations per year by 2025. One of the main objectives of the Apprenticeship action Plan 2021-2025 is for apprenticeships to be recognised and valued by employers across all sectors of the economy as a key mechanism for...