Results 9,601-9,620 of 10,614 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Accommodation (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 64 together. I am committed to progressing a new policy to provide State assistance to stimulate the development of new student accommodation. In April, the Taoiseach and I announced capital investment of €100 million from the national development plan windfall allocation for delivery of student accommodation projects. This enables the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Accommodation (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: There was capital investment in the past 12 months. I outlined it in the response that I gave. It came from the windfall. The current supply figures show that almost 15,000 beds have been completed since 2017. Of these, 1,500 were completed in 2023 alone. As I said a while ago with regard to costs, one of the most important things, which I hope the Deputy will welcome and support, is the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Accommodation (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Not to point out the obvious, but we do not own the accommodation. In most of the cases, it is private. In Dublin, for instance, at the end of May 2024, the data that the universities provided themselves, as well as for digs accommodation for Maynooth, shows that there were 140 rooms for Trinity, 228 rooms for UCD, 217 for DCU, and 174 for Maynooth. It behoves all Deputies to recognise the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank Deputy Farrell for raising this important issue. We had quite a good discussion with regard to disabilities in the previous session. This session has been dominated by the issue of accommodation. I am glad this issue has been raised because I have a particular interest in it. Well-being and student mental health are priorities for me and the Department. Higher education...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank the Deputy. To give some examples, the higher education institutions received €5 million for this. The Atlantic Technological University, which has a very substantial campus in Galway, in 2023 received an allocation of €431,667. The University of Galway received an allocation of €316,438. We all have the same objective here. I have been in Deputy Farrell's...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: This is not an issue that is confined to one part of the country nor is it confined to a conversation between one Deputy and another. This is an issue that we all, unfortunately, come into contact with. It is important to point out this was starting from a zero base. The former Minister, who is now Taoiseach, allocated approximately €5 million per year since 2020. That was to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Labour Market (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank Deputy Durkan for this very important question. The tertiary education system plays an essential role in ensuring our graduates from higher education, further education and training and from the apprenticeship models are equipped with the essential vocational, professional and other skills and competencies that will equip them for success in work. The agility and flexibility of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Labour Market (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: That is a very broad question. To be fair to Deputy Durkan, he is asking me to look into a crystal ball. If I was looking into the crystal ball of the Minister, Deputy McGrath, on his way out today, he basically said that economic growth will continue on the trajectory it is on for the next couple of years. Our population will continue to grow and we will require a number of things. We...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Labour Market (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: To use the example of health professions needed, we have done more than make a good stab at that. A lot of positive work has taken place on an all-island basis with all of the universities across the island, making sure that those who will be needed for various different therapies and disciplines in medicine can be trained on an all-island basis and be supported by the Government in this...

Nomination of Member of Government: Motion (26 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Where are your €300,000 houses?

Nomination of Member of Government: Motion (26 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: We want to keep it that way.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy will be aware, Kildare Wicklow ETBs proposal for Bray Institute of Further Education was successful at the first stage of the assessment process under the FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund and is now at the next stage of the process – The development of a Preliminary Business Case. The development of a robust business case is fundamental to the requirements of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I welcome the Deputy's question and I am happy to advise him that many of the suite of apprenticeships programmes currently in place equip participants with relevant skills that are essential to support the success of Ireland's wind energy sector. In light of the extensive supply chain required for wind farm development, these apprenticeship programmes include the wind turbine...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I have been engaging with Minister O’Brien and our officials on the decision of some private student accommodation providers to move to 51-week leases from the traditional leases which reflected the academic year. I recognise that while there may be a market for 51-week leases among some members of the student population, it is not desirable for the vast majority of third level...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I recognise the importance of enhancing environmental and climate expertise within the planning profession. Indeed, it is clear that sustainability needs to be embedded in a whole range of disciplines in order to prepare learners for the world of work. At the same time, it is important to recognise that it is higher education institutions and relevant professional regulators who are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Inclusion is one of the six strategic goals set out in my Department's Statement of Strategy. The National Access Plan has identified a number of priority-groups who are underrepresented in higher education and need additional focus, including students with ADHD. My Department has provided funding of an additional €35 million to support the objectives of the NAP over its lifetime...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank the Deputy for her question. I am working to ensure that we have more graduates in healthcare disciplines, and particularly the therapies, to supply the children's disability network teams, and the broader healthcare workforce needs. Work is ongoing in collaboration with the Department of Health, HSE and the Higher Education Sector to maximise the expansion in key discipline areas...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Under Government initiatives for student accommodation, two proposals have been submitted by the University of Galway. The Higher Education Authority progressed due diligence assessment on the proposals, however during the assessment stage the proposals were withdrawn by the vendors. The Department and the Higher Education Authority will continue to engage with the University of Galway in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Our health and social care professionals are vital to so many of our public services, advocating for the most vulnerable in our society. Ensuring we have a sufficient supply of social work and social care professionals is a priority for my Department. That is why I was delighted to recently announce the launch of two new pathways in social work which will both increase the number of people...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy will be aware, Galway Roscommon ETBs (GRETB) proposal for the construction of a new FET College of the Future on a site owned by GRETB adjacent to its Mervue Training facility was successful at the first stage of the assessment process under the FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund and is now in the next stage of the process – the development of a Preliminary...