Results 841-860 of 6,386 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The 1916 Bursary is a limited scheme which means the application process must have an opening and a closing date. However, I have asked officials from my Department to examine this case in light of the facts that the Deputy has brought to my attention. The outcome of this will be communicated to applicant. I would also like to bring to the Deputy's attention the Student Assistance Fund...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The programmes referred to by the Deputy were previously offered by St. Nicholas Montessori College Ireland, a private provider of education. The Teaching Council removed registration of the College’s Level 8 BA Honours Montessori Education programme for the purposes of professional recognition with effect from 31st December 2023. My Department had no role in this decision. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Data provided by the HEA regarding graduate figures for direct-entry and graduate-entry to medicine by institution for the last five academic years available is provided in the attached table. In relation to anticipated graduate numbers for future years, my Department does not currently produce specific projections regarding third level enrolments. Further information regarding projections...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) for the higher education sector, which is administered by the HEA on behalf of my Department, provides higher education institutions (HEIs) with support towards the costs related to ensuring students with disabilities have the necessary assistance and equipment to enable them to access, fully participate in and successfully complete their chosen...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Deputy may be aware that Budget 2025 included a package of measures to support households with the cost of higher education. These measures include a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students that are eligible for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI). The student contribution only applies in circumstances where a student is eligible for free fees; it...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: As the Deputy may be aware I recently finalised the Student Grant Scheme and Student Support Regulations 2025 which provides for different levels of maintenance grants at adjacent and non-adjacent rates. The current qualifying distance of 30km for the higher non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant is intended to provide additional support to those students who may be living away from home...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I can confirm that my Department has no contract with the aforementioned company.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: It is anticipated that the next meeting of the inter-departmental working group will happen in April. The group provides a forum for engagement between relevant Departments on matters related to student accommodation. The new Student Accommodation Strategy is due for publication in 2025.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Planning is a regulated profession under the terms of Directive 2005/36 and the regulator in Ireland is the Irish Planning Institute (IPI). Five programmes are accredited by this regulator in Irish universities. The data attached was sourced from the Student Records System database of the Higher Education Authority. Student numbers are rounded to the nearest five for data protection purposes....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Currently, there are 15,532 public purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) beds nationally. The following is the public PBSA breakdown for UCD, UCC and UL. Higher Education Institution Public PBSA Beds UCD 4,187 UCC 1,534 ULMIC 2,934146

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I wish to advise the Deputy that the information he has requested concerning the members of the technical university boards is not available in my Department. Officials are currently arranging for the compilation of the information sought and it will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible. I would note that information on the members of the governing boards is available on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Expenses claimed by all special advisors were in compliance with the DPENDER circulars and were in accordance with Civil Service procedures. The table below provides details of the expenses paid to Ministerial advisers in my Department from 1 March 2020 to date in 2025. Minister Harris was in place from January 2020 - 08th April 2024. Minister O’Donovan was in place from 09th...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. In relation to support available for students studying abroad, the Student Grant Scheme provides...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1918, 1926, 1930 and 1931 together. Craft apprentices are employees and are paid directly by their employer during the “on-the-job” training phases of their apprenticeship. Craft apprentice gross wage norms differ for different sectors, are set through collective bargaining, and may be underpinned by sectoral employment orders. When craft...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Extensive engagement with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), Student Unions, and students on student accommodation has been undertaken through various channels. These include, stakeholder engagement as part of the standardised design study, the HEA Student Survey in 2023 and 2024 and Departmental events, including the Cost of Education event in 2024. In addition, members of the USI...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1920 and 1921 together. The North South Research Programme (NSRP) is a collaborative scheme to promote all-island research activities which is funded under the Government’s Shared Island initiative. It is delivered by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of my Department. Research projects from across all disciplines are funded through...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The information in relation to the number of members of boards in each body under the aegis of his Department who have a professional accounting qualification, for each of the years 2020 to 2025 is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The information in relation to identifying, by body name and associated skills gap, any skills gaps identified by the chairperson of that board in correspondence to his Department or a Minister in respect of the composition of the board of the body referred, for each year between 2020 and 2025, is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The information in relation to confirming that for each year between 2020 and 2025 in respect of the boards of bodies under the aegis of his Department, at least one member of the audit and risk committee of that board has recent, relevant financial experience for each of those years is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The information in relation to confirming that for each year between 2020 and 2025 in respect of the boards of bodies under the aegis of his Department, that the board has a terms of reference is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available.