Results 121-140 of 6,887 for speaker:James Lawless

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

James Lawless: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the awarding authority, SUSI to determine. Postgraduate students who meet all the conditions of the Student Grant Scheme may become eligible for the following supports:A student Maintenance grant which was restored in September 2024 for the first time since the financial crash. The annual rates and the...

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

James Lawless: In May 2025, Springboard+ 2025 was launched, providing 7,719 places on 249 courses. Included in this list are 26 ‘micro-credentials’ courses which are suitable for those interested in shorter courses to upskill in very specific areas. The course list includes a range of critical skills areas, including renewable and offshore wind energy; infrastructure planning; sustainable...

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

James Lawless: My Department is not responsible for the funding of music generation and ETB music services. This may fall under the remit of the Department of Education and Youth.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: The Deputy will be aware, further to Parliamentary Question No. 985 of 17 June 2025, that TrustEd Ireland – a new international education quality mark – is being introduced by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). As part of the application process for authorisation to use the TrustEd Ireland mark, education institutions are required to submit information on the number of...

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

James Lawless: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous institutions responsible for their own academic affairs including the development of relevant curriculum, setting tuition fee rates, and student numbers on individual courses. The fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety of factors including the type of course and the student's access route. The assessment of a student’s...

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

James Lawless: Higher education institutions (HEIs), such as universities, have autonomy in relation to their admissions. Irish HEIs utilise the CAO, a non-profit private company, to centrally and impartially manage the admissions process and instruct the CAO to make offers on their behalf to applicants. Neither I nor my Department has a role in matters relating to these processes. However, together...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (30 Sep 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. The Higher Education Authority Act 2022 highlights the importance of the Irish language by placing a responsibility on the Higher Education Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (30 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: Our higher education system plays an important role in supporting and promoting the use of the Irish language. The Higher Education Authority Act 2022 highlights the importance of the Irish language by placing a responsibility on the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to ensure that higher education institutions (HEIs) promote and use the language. My Department, through the HEA, also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (24 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: There are no unoccupied publicly owned Purpose Built Student Accommodation complexes in the state. Privately owned PBSA are a matter for their owners and are outside my remit. I do not have the information sought as to how many unoccupied complexes are in the State at present.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (24 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 Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) validation and processing, indicating that most apprentices are completing their apprenticeship within a timely period. Craft apprenticeships involve scheduled off-the-job training according to the specific programme and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (23 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: DFHERIS is strongly of the view that research staff in all higher education institutions across the sector should be able to access a public service pension scheme. Officials from my Department have submitted a business case to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to support access to the single public service pension scheme for those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Middle East (23 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 706 and 707 together. I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has notpurchased any products or services from Israel or the Occupied Territories in the past two years.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (23 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: Information on the 2023 and 2024 annual funding provided by the Higher Education Authority to each of the universities in the State is attached. More detailed information is available in the annual report and financial statements for each university. This information can be accessed via the website of each university.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (23 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: Since my appointment, I have taken decisive steps to expand the supply of therapists available to support children with additional needs in schools. In response to a request from the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Disability, I asked my officials to establish an interdepartmental working group to address the expansion of therapy graduate places and associated clinical placements. This group,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (23 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: I published this year's annual options paper on Friday, 19th September. This year's paper outlines the costs and potential impacts of a range of policy options aimed at reducing the cost of higher education. The options assessment is intended to identify costs and potential impacts by the Department and is published without prejudice to eventual Government decisions. The paper can be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (23 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: Prior to this year there were three established Pharmacy programmes in the country at University College Cork, RCSI and Trinity College Dublin. Two new Pharmacy programmes began in September 2025 in the University of Galway and the Atlantic Technological University. A further Pharmacy programme will commence in South East Technological University in 2026. These new programmes were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (23 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has no expenditure for off-site storage solutions for the past five years to date.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (18 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: I am acutely conscious of the challenges facing students, including availability of student accommodation, and am focused on delivering targeted and effective interventions which support learners. Supply data indicates there are: - Purpose Built Student Accommodation beds in Cork – as of end of August 2025 Planning applications under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (18 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: Springboard+ is operated by the Higher Education Authority on the basis of a multi-annual call process and funding cycle. The previous cycle covered the period 2022-2024, with a new call for Proposals held in early 2025. ICT courses are a key component of the Springboard+ offering. ICT courses make up approximately one-fifth of the places funded under Springboard+ 2025, which is a higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Sep 2025)

James Lawless: The Government secured a significant investment of €77.4m into the apprenticeship system in Budget 2025. This is the single largest investment in core apprenticeship funding since the formation of the department in 2020. Current investment in apprenticeship has more than doubled since 2020. It has increased by 139%, from €142m in 2019 to over €339m in 2025. This...