Results 2,181-2,200 of 11,777 for speaker:Niall Collins

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (7 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on the behalf of Higher Education Institutions. Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs, in line with their institutional autonomy, who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the operation of the CAO, and it is not within my remit to influence...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Science Foundation Ireland (7 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: The substantive post of Chief Science Advisor was abolished in 2012 and the current Director General of SFI has been given the title of Chief Science Advisor on an unremunerated basis. My Department is conducting a review of science advisory structures, including whether there is a role for a chief science advisor, to see how best to meet future needs in this regard. This review is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: There is a big difference between a nightclub and a delivery ward.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (6 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: I thank Senator Byrne for raising this important matter. The expert group report of 2016, entitled Investing in National Ambition: A Strategy for Funding Higher Education, confirmed that higher education makes a hugely positive contribution to the development of individuals, employers, society and the State. The report concluded that the approach to funding at the time was unsustainable and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (6 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: Unfortunately, I am not in a position to give the Senator a publication date today. Suffice to say that, apart from my previous opening remarks, there is a serious commitment in the programme for Government on addressing the sustainability and the funding model of our higher education sector. That has also formed part of the negotiations and the discussions between the Department of Further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (6 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: Craft apprenticeships account for 25 of the 62 existing available apprenticeship programmes. They comprise of a standard seven phase programme of alternating on-the-job and off-the-job phases. The off-the-job training for these programmes is delivered in ETB Training Centres, Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities. Phase 2 electrical apprenticeship provision is delivered...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: 391. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if advice will be provided in respect of the case of a child (details supplied) with autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47749/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: 430. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to retraining and upskilling; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47514/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Construction Industry (5 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: Education and training relevant to skills needs in the construction sector is delivered across the full remit of further education and training and higher education. Learning opportunities are open to all backgrounds and levels of experience through apprenticeship, non-apprenticeship further education and training (FET) and Higher Education (HE) as well as through specific programmes such as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (5 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: Housing For All was published in September this year setting out the series of actions to be undertaken to address issues facing the housing system. It has the largest ever housing budget in the history of the State to transform our housing system, with in excess of €20bn in funding through the Exchequer, the Land Development Agency (LDA) and the Housing Finance Agency over the next...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (5 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: Following Government approval, I published A Safe Return: Plan for a safe return to on-site Further and Higher Education and Research in 2021/22 on June 15th. The Safe Return Plan can be accessed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/bcd91-a-safe-return-to-on-site-fur ther-and-higher-education-and-research/. The plan, which emerged following extensive discussions between...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (5 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: The main support available to assist postgraduate students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. In line with the Programme for Government commitment to address the gap in postgraduate grants, from September 2021 the postgraduate fee grant increased from €2,000 to €3,500. This increase will allay some of the costs for postgraduate study and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (5 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for SUSI to determine. In assessing an application for the 2021/22 academic year, SUSI will have regard to the following qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant: 2. Total reckonable income, after income disregards and Child Dependant Increase(s) are excluded, must not exceed €24,500;3. As at 31st of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Bodies (5 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: I propose to take Questions Nos. 501 to 505, inclusive, together. The Student Grants Appeals Board (the Board) was established under Section 25 of the Student Support Act 2011 and under Section 21(4)(a) is independent in the performance of its functions. Appointments to the Board are in compliance with The Public Appointments Service (PAS) process. Under Section 25 (4) of the Student Support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (5 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: Under the Department’s Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students. All students eligible for the scheme receive state support whereby the Exchequer pays the cost of tuition fees exclusive of the student contribution. Under the terms of the FFI, tuition fee funding is not typically provided...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (5 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: Under Section 38 of the Teaching Council Act, initial teacher education (ITE) programmes are subject to review and accreditation by the Teaching Council, for registration purposes. New ITE programme standards (entitled ‘Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education’) and new post-primary subject curricular requirements were published by the Teaching Council in November...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Revenue Commissioners (5 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: During a self-review of invoices by Quality & Qualifications Ireland (QQI) undertaken in 2018 prior to the finalisation of the 2018 financial statements, it was identified that QQI had not been operating the reverse charge mechanism on VAT correctly in prior periods. QQI made a voluntary self-disclosure to the Revenue Commissioners and all due VAT amounts were paid in February 2019....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (5 Oct 2021)

Niall Collins: 749. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a detailed itemised statement of account will be provided for a farmer (details supplied) in County Clare in respect of the basic payment scheme, areas of natural constraint, organic farm scheme and GLAS since 2018 in view of the Agriculture Appeals Office decision on 12 April 2021. [47754/21]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Semi-State Bodies (30 Sep 2021)

Niall Collins: 153. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of a matter (details supplied) regarding governance of semi-State organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47363/21]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Semi-State Bodies (30 Sep 2021)

Niall Collins: 174. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of a matter (details supplied) regarding governance of Semi-State organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47362/21]