Results 181-200 of 7,048 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The Kilkenny and Carlow ETB's (KCETB) proposal for a new FET College in Kilkenny city has been successful in moving forward to the next stage of development - the Pre-tender, Project Design, Planning and Procurement Strategy stage following an evaluation process. Late last year approval and funding was provided for KCETB to acquire a 15-acre site at Joinersfolly, Loughboy, Kilkenny to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: As the Deputy may be aware, through ongoing engagement between SOLAS and the Education and Training Boards (ETBs), a funding pressure was identified for the 2025 apprenticeship budget. This pressure was primarily linked to the cost of State Allowances paid to apprentices during their off-the-job training phases. SOLAS is the State agency responsible for the further education and training...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Funding (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: My department is leading the implementation of the ambitious suite of actions laid out in Impact 2030 - Ireland's research and innovation strategy. Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland was established in mid 2024 as Ireland's new competitive research funding agency. The agency has a new, broad remit, with new programmes and programme redesign being rolled out on a phased basis. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Investment in the apprenticeship system has been significant since my department was formed in 2020. To ensure an adequate pipeline of skilled apprentices to support government targets on housing and infrastructure development, €79 million has been invested in the apprenticeship system in Budget 2026, bringing the total current budget for apprenticeship to €411 million. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: I will publish a new long term student accommodation strategy (2025-2035) later this year. It will include viability measures to support the development of new accommodation without any additional recourse to the private rental market and affordability supports for priority groups identified under the National Access Plan.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: By way of background, Local Training Initiatives (LTIs) are community-based training programmes designed to support individuals who face economic, social, geographic, or educational disadvantage. The training programmes offered are tailored to meet specific local needs, ensuring relevance and impact within the community. LTIs are independent organisations, with their own independent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: In recent years, supported by strong government investment, the apprenticeship system has grown significantly. Annual craft apprenticeship registrations have risen 63% from 4,377 in 2020, the year in which my department was formed, to 7,113 in 2024. In the same period Consortia-led registrations have grown from 949 to 2,239. This investment has also supported a 34% growth in the number...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: I am committed to the apprenticeship model of learning. It is a proven pathway to a valued qualification and employment. Since 2019 the total apprentice population has grown from 17,829 to 29,772 as of the end of last year. This has been matched by an increase in investment from €142m in 2019 to over the €400m earmarked for apprenticeship in 2026. Currently there are 19...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (16 Oct 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. Student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: A proposal to develop a Wexford Campus is being progressed under my department’s Technological Sector Strategic Projects Fund. Over the last number of years, SETU have been working with Wexford County Council (WCC) to help identify an appropriate site for a permanent home for their Wexford Campus. As part of this engagement a preferred site was identified. However, following a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The current Action Plan was launched in 2021 with key goals for apprenticeship around growth, improving the profile of apprenticeship, improving access and supports for apprentices and employers, along with increasing the footprint of apprenticeship in the public service. We have seen strong progress across these headings. Since 2019, the last pre-pandemic year, the total apprentice...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The development of diverse and progressive pathways for learners in further and higher education outside of the traditional CAO route is a key strategic goal of DFHERIS. The development of tertiary programmes, Further Education & Training routes to higher education such as the Higher Education Links Scheme (HELS), and supported part-time provision are some of the key areas which my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The Department notes that the student in question was unable to undertake her preferred work placement, having been refused on medical grounds. Under the Universities Act 1997, higher education institutions such as University College Cork operate with autonomy in the management of their academic, administrative and student affairs. This includes responsibility for addressing student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: It would not be appropriate for me to speculate on the projected number of shared-bedroom student accommodation developments that may commence construction during the lifetime of this Dáil. However, I can confirm that at the end of September, 1,637 beds were under construction nationwide. Planning permission has been granted for a further 15,132 beds, including 2,948 public beds. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply directly to their HEI for support under the Student Assistance Fund. Latest figures show that almost €13 million was distributed to students from the Student Assistance Fund to assist with accommodation related costs in the 2023/24 academic year. In relation to distribution of emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The Deputy will be aware that I have secured funding in Budget 2026, to permanently reduce the Student Contribution charge by €500. This flat rate reduction will reduce the rate from €3,000 to €2,500 and applies from the current academic year (2025/26). It is anticipated that this Budget 2026 measure will benefit around 108,000 undergraduate students and 14,000...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Traveller Community (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Ensuring equal access to education for all is a core priority for this Government. The Traveller and Roma Education Strategy (TRES), a key action under the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) 2024–2028, is supporting the delivery of our Programme for Government commitment to promote equality and inclusion for Traveller and Roma communities across all levels of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The CAO is an independent, non-profit private company. Its function is to process applications for undergraduate courses and some postgraduate courses on behalf of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The CAO plays an important role in ensuring applications to higher education are processed in a centralised, efficient and impartial way. Every year over 80% of CAO applicants receive an offer...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Funding (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Ireland is designated as a programme country under the Erasmus+ programme. As part of the programme, each programme country must nominate a national authority to monitor and supervise the management of the programme at national level. Ireland’s nominated Erasmus+ national authority is based in my Department. As national authority, my Department has designated the Higher Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2026 (15 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: As I stated in the House last week, during the discussions earlier this year on the National Development Plan, I secured an allocation amounting to some €4.55bn over the coming five year period. I also noted that I intend to allocate €2.3bn of this to funding for Ireland’s research system. In 2026, my Department will have a total capital allocation of €810m. I...