Results 9,421-9,440 of 10,614 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The total apprenticeship registration for 2023 was 8,712. A total of 2,599 apprentices have registered up to end April 2024. The table at the link sets out a breakdown of new apprenticeship registrations by programme as at end-year for 2023 and up to 30th April for 2024. The programmes are further segregated into Craft and Consortia-led.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 654 and 655 together. The total apprenticeship registration for 2023 was 8,712. A total of 2,599 apprentices have registered up to end April 2024. The table at the link sets out a breakdown of new apprenticeship registrations by programme as at end-year for 2023 and up to 30th April for 2024. The programmes are further segregated into Craft and Consortia-led.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Qualifications (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Enrolment data for medicine programmes is contained in the following table. This data was sourced from the HEA Student Records System and is the most up to date available. The table shows the breakdown by domicile for medical student enrolments, both direct entry and graduate entry for the last 10 years available. 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Nursing Education (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Enrolment data in Nursing and Midwifery by domicile is presented in the table below. This data was sourced from the HEA student records system and is the most up to date available. This data contains nursing enrolments on nursing programmes which are recognised by the regulator the Nursing and Midwifery Board Ireland. The proportion of these enrolments which have Ireland as a domicile...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Under the Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the State provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible full time undergraduate higher education students with students paying the student contribution of up to €3,000 per annum. The State pays the student contribution (in full or part) on behalf of students who qualify under the student grant scheme administered by SUSI. In addition...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: In advance of Budget 2025 this autumn, and as the previous Minister did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. I will have regard to these options, including any options on reducing the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) which was previously known as the Student Hardship fund is allocated based on an Academic year. Students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 662 and 663 together. Responsibility for the recognition of professional qualifications rests with the relevant competent authority/regulatory body of the profession in question. Neither the Minister nor the Department has a role in performance of this function. Where a profession is regulated, such as the professions of doctor, nurse or teacher, an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together. A national recruitment campaign for craft apprenticeship instructors was launched by the National Apprenticeship Office in Q4 2023, with an aim to support delivery and increased capacity of phase 2 off-the-job training in ETBs. To date, 77 posts have been advertised and 58 posts filled. Further posts will be advertised as capital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I am committed to enhancing pathways for people after secondary school, and the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 aims to make apprenticeship visible and a valued option by learners. A central goal is to improve information to school leavers so they have access to the same level of information about apprenticeship options as those in higher education. Progress to date includes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: In April 2024, the Government committed €100m to progress over 1,000 new student beds. This allocation enables the activation of Phase 1 of UCD’s stalled student project for delivery of 493 student beds for delivery in 2027/28. It also provides the funding for the previously activated projects with Maynooth University to progress to onsite construction for delivery of 116...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Student Assistance Fund is managed by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of my Department. The HEA allocates funding based on the academic year to each of the universities, Institutes of Technology, the Colleges of Education and a number of other higher education bodies. The core allocation for the SAF is €9.1 million per annum and increases were secured for this academic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pay (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Apprenticeship delivery staff employed by Education and Training Boards and Technological Universities are public sector staff. The applicable pay rates and general terms and conditions of employment for staff across the public sector are determined by national pay agreements negotiated between Government and the ICTU Public Services Committee. Any changes to terms and conditions can occur...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: A pilot part time grant scheme will be introduced effective from September 2024. It will provide fee support to eligible part-time students attending specified publicly funded undergraduate courses leading to a major award. This is an important new initiative which will open the doors of higher education to many groups who cannot participate in full time programmes. The parameters of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The cybersecurity associate level 6 apprenticeship was first offered by Dublin-Dun-Laoghaire Education Training Board (DDLETB) in 2023. The table below sets out the number instructors employed by DDLETB for this programme in the requested years of 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024. Cyber Security Associate NFQ Level 6 2022 2023 2024 Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capital Expenditure Programme (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Higher Education Authority conducted an Expressions of Interest to identify options for substantial expansions across Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine. There are significant capital costs involved in progressing these options and it is important the scale of the costs is fully understood and planned for. The options...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank Deputy Farrell for her kind wishes. Last month, the Taoiseach and I announced the capital investment of €100 million from the national development plan windfall allocation for the delivery of student accommodation projects. This enables the activation of phase 1 of UCD's 493-bed project and the progression of the Maynooth 116-bed project to the construction stage and the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank the Deputy very much for that ringing endorsement. I am delighted. What I would say is that a substantial amount of progress has been made in this area in recent years, and that needs to be recognised. This is an interdepartmental process and we must include my colleagues, the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, in the Department of Finance, and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I remind the Deputy that in budget 2024, the rent tax credit was increased to €750.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: In budget 2023, it was also increased. The technological universities element the Deputy referred to is a new area for them. Being able to borrow is a new area for them. In addition, the creation of large-scale capital projects of this nature is also going to be a new area for them. Since I was appointed to this Department, having come from an infrastructure Department, I have been...