Results 201-220 of 5,794 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: In the new Student Accommodation Strategy, which is in development, my focus will be on increasing the supply of student accommodation to benefit both students, and to free up private rental homes. I will focus on a combination of digs accommodation, an examination of vacant property, and the development and leasing of purpose-built student accommodation. I will also examine sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Craft apprenticeships are a vital route to qualification and employment for the construction sector, and strong employer demand has led to a 34% increase in craft apprenticeship registrations since 2019, increasing from 5,300 in 2019 to 7,100 in 2024. My Department continues to oversee the implementation of a priority plan put in place in November 2023 by the National Apprenticeship Office...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Funding the Future Framework published in May 2022, outlines the vision for how higher education will be funded and how this will support students, employers and wider society. The Framework identified an amount of €307 million as representing the quantum of increase in core funding required to deliver enhanced performance, strategic reforms and strengthened quality of outcomes. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: There is a comprehensive and ambitious set of commitments for research and innovation in the new Programme for Government. This work will be progressed via a number of national policies and strategies, under the national research and innovation strategy Impact 2030. Under Budget 2025, additional funding was announced for Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, with its total...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I am conscious that the cost of accommodation can be a challenge for many students and could make the reality of higher education beyond the reach of some. Increasing the supply of student accommodation is a priority for this Government and I. Student reliance on the private market has an impact on overall housing supply; an increase in the provision of student specific accommodation has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I very much welcome this collaboration between UCD and Northeastern University in Boston. While it is a clear example of leveraging the collective expertise and leadership in both institutions, it also aligns with the ambition and objectives of Global Citizens 2030, which is Ireland’s international talent and innovation strategy. The nature of skills, both nationally and globally, is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: As this question is more appropriate to DETE, my officials have been in contact with the Deputy to advise contacting DETE directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cybersecurity Policy (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 416 and 417 together. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is an operational arm of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), and is the primary cyber security authority in the State. The NCSC provides a range of cyber-security services to operators of Critical National Infrastructure, including all Government Departments and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: To date, as part of short term response measures, the Government approved in principle up to €100m in funding to unlock the development of approximately 1,000 student accommodation beds across a number of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), including a 493-bed student accommodation project in University College Dublin (UCD). Supply data from the Higher Education Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: My Department is progressing both short and longer term student accommodation policy responses under the Housing for All plan. A capital investment of €100m from the National Development Plan windfall allocation has enabled the progression of new purpose-built student accommodation beds through the Department’s Short-Term Activation Plan. This funding enabled activation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 420 and 421 together. South East Technological University (SETU) continues its recovery from the cyber incident which occurred last October. The majority of classrooms and laboratories are now fully restored, although there are challenges in some locations due to legacy infrastructure from it's IoT phase. SETU continues its efforts to support university...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The information requested by the Deputy for 2025 is not currently available. Current funding is allocated to universities by the Higher Education Authority annually through the Recurrent Grant Allocation Model (RGAM). Under this model, funding is predicated on a number of variables, including student numbers and competitive calls which becomes available late in the year. Meanwhile, capital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Reply not received from Department.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Used to be a serious party.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (26 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I thank Deputy Farrell for acknowledging the work that is ongoing. This is a cross-party issue; I do not believe it is a political issue at all. I appreciate her approach to this and I share and reciprocate that. There are several plans in place, which we have spoken about. Some of those are due to expire in the next year or two but they are typically incremental and we continue to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (26 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I thank both Deputies for raising this very important issue. I am glad to have the opportunity to address the House on the matter. I am aware of the media reports being referred to by the Deputies. I am extremely concerned about the issue itself and about the wider issue it spotlights, that of women’s safety on university campuses. This is a matter of critical importance. As I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (26 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has recently received a tender report for the works at the facility in question. Department officials are currently reviewing the report with the intention of reverting, via SOLAS, to the relevant Education and Training Board as soon as possible. The timeframe for delivery of works will be established once a contractor is approved for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Childhood Care and Education (26 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: As the Deputy will be aware Marino Institute of Education and the National College of Ireland are private higher education institutions. Private institutions play an important role in the overall higher education landscape. These institutions may be in receipt of some limited funding from the State for certain courses that are approved for funding under specific initiatives. These include...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Data Protection (26 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: My Department operates a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Education for Data Governance and Strategy. As such it is agreed that the Data Protection officer for the Department of Education is also the Data Protection officer for my Department. My Department is committed to the highest standards of data protection compliance and engages with the Data Protection Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (26 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Our higher education system plays an important role in supporting and promoting the use of the Irish language. This will undoubtedly support efforts to increase the use of Irish in the public sector workforce. 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...