Results 241-260 of 5,222 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Qualifications (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Ensuring an appropriate pipeline of suitably qualified professionals in healthcare professions, including oral healthcare, is a key priority for me and my Department. I want to build on the progress made in the last few years in expanding the number of places in these vital disciplines. Healthcare programmes are, by their nature, complex to deliver. They require many parts of the system...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 651 and 652 together. For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if they have attained the age...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The total apprenticeship registration for 2023 was 8,712. A total of 2,599 apprentices have registered up to end April 2024. The table at the link sets out a breakdown of new apprenticeship registrations by programme as at end-year for 2023 and up to 30th April for 2024. The programmes are further segregated into Craft and Consortia-led.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 654 and 655 together. The total apprenticeship registration for 2023 was 8,712. A total of 2,599 apprentices have registered up to end April 2024. The table at the link sets out a breakdown of new apprenticeship registrations by programme as at end-year for 2023 and up to 30th April for 2024. The programmes are further segregated into Craft and Consortia-led.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Qualifications (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Enrolment data for medicine programmes is contained in the following table. This data was sourced from the HEA Student Records System and is the most up to date available. The table shows the breakdown by domicile for medical student enrolments, both direct entry and graduate entry for the last 10 years available. 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Nursing Education (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Enrolment data in Nursing and Midwifery by domicile is presented in the table below. This data was sourced from the HEA student records system and is the most up to date available. This data contains nursing enrolments on nursing programmes which are recognised by the regulator the Nursing and Midwifery Board Ireland. The proportion of these enrolments which have Ireland as a domicile...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Under the Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the State provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible full time undergraduate higher education students with students paying the student contribution of up to €3,000 per annum. The State pays the student contribution (in full or part) on behalf of students who qualify under the student grant scheme administered by SUSI. In addition...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: In advance of Budget 2025 this autumn, and as the previous Minister did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. I will have regard to these options, including any options on reducing the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) which was previously known as the Student Hardship fund is allocated based on an Academic year. Students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (21 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 662 and 663 together. Responsibility for the recognition of professional qualifications rests with the relevant competent authority/regulatory body of the profession in question. Neither the Minister nor the Department has a role in performance of this function. Where a profession is regulated, such as the professions of doctor, nurse or teacher, an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (15 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department has not awarded any publicly funded contracts to the company referenced by the Deputy at any time since the creation of the Department in 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology (15 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department was established in 2020 and its IT services are provided on a shared services basis with the Department of Education under an agreed Memorandum of Understanding. To date, my Department has not incurred any expenditure related to capital investments in its IT or data infrastructure.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (14 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy may be aware, the main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme. Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to 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. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (14 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies as set out in legislation and are responsible for the day-to-day management and operational affairs of the institution. I would suggest that students contact their higher education institutions and students' union directly if they wish to raise any concerns in this respect.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (14 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Promoting the importance of lifelong learning has been a key focus for my Department which has been demonstrated in the approach we have been taking since its establishment three years ago, putting skills at the centre of policy development, raising awareness of the importance of skills, and creating and highlighting multiple re-skilling and upskilling initiatives and learning opportunities...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (14 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Green Skills are essential for meeting the ambitious climate targets set out by the Government in the Climate Action Plan and for the Green Transition. These range from the development of transferable green skills for life, through specific skills requirements for emerging green sectors of the economy including offshore wind and other renewable energy initiatives, electric vehicles and Near...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (14 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science serves as the national coordinator and national assistance centre for Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications. This Directive, which has been transposed into Irish law by S.I. No. 8 of 2017, provides the main legal framework to facilitate the mutual recognition of professional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (14 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department has been made aware that the college referred to by the Deputy will close and cease to deliver degree level programmes accredited by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) with effect from September 2024. In preparation for the forthcoming closure the college has engaged with QQI’s statutory Protection of Enrolled Learners (PEL) process. The PEL process ensures that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (14 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: There is no conclusive reported data to support that rationale for students choosing college courses but I am conscious that accommodation is a significant factor for students who need to reside away from home to access higher education. The challenge for students in accessing appropriate student accommodation is an issue which Government and I are acutely aware and actively pursuing....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (14 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 676, 677 and 678 together. Students, staff and researchers of higher education institutions have the right and freedom to protest in a peaceful manner once it is in accordance with the rule of law. As autonomous bodies, higher education institutions are responsible for the day-to-day management and operational affairs of their institutions, this includes...