Results 221-240 of 6,337 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reviews (27 May 2025)

James Lawless: Officials in my Department have begun the process of a Periodic Critical Review (PCR) of SOLAS. A Supplementary Request for Tender (SRFT) was published through the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) on the 27th March last, seeking expertise in carrying out organisational reviews of public bodies and the reporting of findings, along with any recommendations. My officials are still...

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

James Lawless: A key pillar in the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021 - 2025 is to ensure that apprenticeships are recognised and valued across all sectors, promoting them as a vital method for building upon existing and supporting emerging skills needs now and into the future. In Budget 2025, €77 million was allocated to apprenticeship, representing the single biggest increase in core funding...

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

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 820 and 821 together. Development of an implementation plan for an integrated apprenticeship system is at an advanced stage.€4 million was allocated in Budget 2025 to support this work. The Irish workforce is rapidly required to respond to the impact of modern methods of construction, digitisation, AI, and climate change. The plan to transition to...

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

James Lawless: Work is underway in the development of a spatial planning apprenticeship (NFQ level 8) which will be launched following the conclusion of a structured process overseen by the National Apprenticeship Office. The development of this apprenticeship in a key action in the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage's Ministerial Action Plan on Planning Resources and supports...

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

James Lawless: A business and operations apprenticeship (NFQ Level 6) is currently in development and will be launched in the civil and public service following the conclusion of a structured process overseen by the National Apprenticeship Office. This apprenticeship will increase the availability of apprenticeship opportunities across public service bodies as well as supporting Government ambition and...

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

James Lawless: Ensuring that Ireland’s apprenticeship population more closely reflects the profile of the general population is a key pillar of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science’s Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025. This includes improving gender balance among apprentices. In implementation of the Action Plan, in January 2022 Government...

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

James Lawless: The Action Plan for Apprenticeship recognises that the cost of training is a potential barrier to employer participation in apprenticeships. To support employers with training costs, a €2,000 employer grant was launched in 2022 for employers of apprenticeships developed since 2016, being 52 of the current 77 programmes. Since the introduction of this grant, yearly registrations on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (27 May 2025)

James Lawless: The Collaboration and Innovation Fund is an initiative of the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Strategy, the Government's 10-year strategy that aims to ensure that every adult has the necessary literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy to fully engage in society and realise their potential. The objective of the Fund is to promote a more inclusive and equitable society by providing support for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Prison Service (27 May 2025)

James Lawless: The Retrofit Skills QQI Level 5 course pilot training programme as detailed in the Irish Prison Education Taskforce Workplan is now complete. Students in the Midlands and Wheatfield Prisons completed training and assessments in the Retrofit Skill course in 2024. The Department, in collaboration with key stakeholders, is currently revising the second iteration of the Careers in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Adult Education Provision (27 May 2025)

James Lawless: Community education is crucial for individual growth, social cohesion, and democratic participation. It provides local, accessible learning opportunities, fosters skills development, and builds confidence, ultimately promoting greater community involvement. Delivering a commitment set out in the FET Strategy 2020–2024, a national Community Education Framework was developed through...

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

James Lawless: This question is more appropriate to the Minister for Education and Youth for a response. My officials have liaised with colleagues in the Department for Education and Youth who have advised that they can provide a response to this question should the Deputy wish to submit the question to them.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Standards (27 May 2025)

James Lawless: Launched in 2021, the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Strategy is Ireland’s 10-year strategy aimed at ensuring every adult has the literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy needed to participate fully in society and reach their potential. The Strategy is a cross-government, cross-economy and cross-society approach aimed at addressing adult literacy challenges, enhancing skills, and...

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

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 837, 838 and 839 together. As outlined in the National Further Education and Training (FET) Strategy 2020-2024, key to successful development of the sector will be the evolution of FET facilities and provision into distinct integrated FET Colleges of the Future, that can enable community-based learning excellence, fundamental in meeting the skills needs of...

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

James Lawless: Tertiary programmes, first established in 2023, are a new form of third level provision allowing a learner to complete the first year or two of a Bachelors degree in an ETB before moving on to complete the degree in a higher education institutions. The programmes are in a three year pilot phase, with the third intake in September 2025 marking the beginning of year three. Representatives...

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

James Lawless: Reply not received from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Language Schools (27 May 2025)

James Lawless: Reply not received from Department.

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

James Lawless: Reply not received from Department.

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

James Lawless: In line with Section 16 of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Act 2022 the board membership for the Higher Education Authority consists of a Chairperson and 11 Ministerial appointed ordinary members (including one student representative). In accordance with sectoral legislation the Governing Board for each Higher Education Institute (HEI) shall comprise of 19 members, which includes nine...

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

James Lawless: In line with Section 16 of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Act 2022 the board membership for the Higher Education Authority consists of a Chairperson and 11 ordinary members appointed by the Minister (includes one USI representative). As the HEA is recognised as a State Board, the appointment process for new members, including the Chairperson, is managed by the Public Appointments...

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

James Lawless: An open recruitment process for the new CEO of Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is currently underway. This process is being supported by Forvis Mazars with the position also being advertised on the Public Appointments Service's website. The application deadline for this position was Monday 26th May 2025. Applicants will now be subject to a competitive shortlisting and interview...