Results 101-120 of 6,887 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: The Department of Education and Youth provides digital and ICT services as a shared service to my Department which covers cloud storage solutions.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: Thank you, Deputy for raising this issue. By way of background, the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) is designed to support long term unemployed adults in gaining the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to re-enter the workforce or progress to further education. To be eligible for the scheme, a learner must be over 21 years of age, unemployed for at least six...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: Under Research Ireland's Maternity, Paternity, and Adoptive Leave Policy Research Ireland is committed to minimising and mitigating any existing or perceived factors that may limit the participation of individuals in the research endeavour. In particular, Research Ireland is committed to supporting the retention of individuals in Research and Innovation and to encourage individuals back...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: Of the approximately 10,000 PhD student enrolments annually in Ireland, in the region of 3,000 receive stipend awards from Research Ireland and approximately 1,000 do so from other public funders. Roughly 2,000 receive some level of institutional scholarship support from their host higher education institution, with the assistance of core funding from the Higher Education Authority. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: Under Budget 2025, additional funding was announced for Research Ireland in order to increase its PhD stipend level to €25,000, i.e. an increase of over 31% in two years. This announcement builds on the increases secured under preceding Budgets, demonstrating my Department’s consistent focus and progress on this issue. It has come into effect from 1 January 2025. In doing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Projects (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 966 and 969 together. I wish to advise that my Department has not received an application for capital works at the location referred to by the Deputy. Applications for capital works are submitted by ETBs to SOLAS in the first instance. SOLAS assess and submit, under recommendation, suitable applications to my Department for funding consideration.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: I can confirm that the properties and sites referred to in his question are not under the ownership of the Minister or Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Therefore, I recommend that the Deputy engage directly with DDLETB to address the questions raised.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: My Department works collaboratively, through SOLAS and with the Education Training Boards (ETB) on the development and delivery of capital projects. In 2020, a step up in funding allowed for the introduction of a dedicated capital budget for Further Education and Training (FET). Capital investment from my Department to DDLETB, since 2020, is detailed in the table at the link below. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: I can confirm that the properties and sites referred to in his question are not under the ownership of the Minister or Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Therefore, I recommend that the Deputy engage directly with DDLETB to address the questions raised.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: Currently, the median aggregate completion time for an apprenticeship is 228 weeks, including a 12 to 16-week period required for QQI validation, indicating that most apprentices are completing their apprenticeship within a timely period. It is important to note that Manufacturing Engineering is part of the post 2016 consortia-led apprenticeship model. This programme has fixed intake...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: The OECD Ireland Skills Strategy Review (2023) recommended that Ireland strengthen incentives for employers to participate in lifelong learning. My Department is working closely with Skillnet Ireland on a scheme aimed specifically at supporting SMEs in this respect. The aim of the scheme is to support small and medium enterprises to upskill and reskill in areas of critical skills needs, to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 973 and 974 together. The main support available to assist students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: The Deputy will be aware that higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs, including the collection and usage of student levies. Under Section 40(1) of the Universities Act, 1997, and Section 24(1) of the Technological Universities Act, 2018, HEIs have scope to charge additional fees to students for a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: The issue of restrictive licensing models – such as metered access or limited-term licences – for e-books and journals is a matter of concern for higher education institutions (HEIs) and their libraries. However, this issue has wider implications – for public libraries and individual consumers. Intellectual property policy and consumer protection fall within the remit...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: As the Deputy may be aware, my department provides support for broadening access to Graduate Entry Medicine programmes through the part-subsidy of fees for EU students. This subsidy is paid to the higher education institutions via the Higher Education Authority, with the balance being paid by the student. Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is an accelerated four-year programme designed for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: I understand that there are many costs that come with being a student and that education is an investment in one's future. I believe that there should be as much transparency as possible for students regarding the costs they may encounter while studying. It is my and my department's intention to continue to improve the quality of information available to students and prospective students....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: The main support available to assist students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the 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. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reviews (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: Following a competitive procurement process conducted by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), Applied Inspiration Ltd have been appointed as the independent consultants to complete a Midterm Progress Review of the National Access Plan (NAP). This project commenced in April 2025. The review is expected to evaluate the extent of progress against the actions underpinning each NAP objective...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: There are currently 78 apprenticeship programmes available to learners. 25 of these are traditional craft apprenticeships and 53 are post-2016 consortia-led apprenticeships. Post 2016 consortia-led apprenticeships have fixed intake timing, with a set intake number of training places and funding. Off-the-job training and progression of the apprentice is facilitated based on the academic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: The Government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, with €67 million allocated in Budget 2024 and €77 million allocated in Budget 2025, bringing the total budget to €339 million in 2025. This is an 84% increase from the apprenticeship budget of €184 million in 2020, the year in which my department was formed. The demand for craft apprenticeships has...