Results 241-260 of 5,794 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (20 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I can confirm that there have been no secondments from consultancy firms to my Department since 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (20 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has no records of any contract or contact with the aforementioned hotel.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The number of apprentices who registered for apprenticeships, by type, in each of the years 2023 and 2024, is provided in tabular form below. Year Craft registrations Consortia registrations 2023 6,588 2,124 2024 7,133 2,239 Last year was a record year for apprentice registrations with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: My Department has two scholarship programmes - the Government of Ireland International Education Programme and the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme - which are open to applications from Palestinian students. I also wish to advise that within the Ireland Fellows Programme, run by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, there is a specific strand - the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: My Department is determined to provide the best possible training in health and social care programmes, to provide the best health service possible to the public. These professions are regulated by CORU and the Nursing and Midwifery Board Ireland (NMBI). CORU and NMBI set the standards and requirements for health and social care professional and nursing and midwifery education programmes and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: A new student accommodation strategy is in development following Government approval of the long-term policy in January 2024. The strategy aims to increase supply of state supported student accommodation, reduce the cost of delivery through development of standardised design guidance, promote efficient use of existing building stock through refurbishment and an examination of vacancy, while...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: All external recruitment of civil servants into my Department is currently completed via Public Jobs. As per our instruction, Public Jobs assign candidates to this Department only once Garda Vetting and Foreign Clearance has been successfully completed. Staff are also recruited internally via the Civil Service Mobility Scheme. These staff are pre-existing Civil Servants and so they have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Fees incurred to undertake a repeat examination or period of study are a matter for individual higher education institutions. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies under the relevant legislation. The management of their academic affairs, including the level of repeat tuition or examination fees to be charged, are solely a matter for the relevant institution to determine in line...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The 1916 Bursary is a limited scheme which means the application process must have an opening and a closing date. However, I have asked officials from my Department to examine this case in light of the facts that the Deputy has brought to my attention. The outcome of this will be communicated to applicant. I would also like to bring to the Deputy's attention the Student Assistance Fund...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The programmes referred to by the Deputy were previously offered by St. Nicholas Montessori College Ireland, a private provider of education. The Teaching Council removed registration of the College’s Level 8 BA Honours Montessori Education programme for the purposes of professional recognition with effect from 31st December 2023. My Department had no role in this decision. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Data provided by the HEA regarding graduate figures for direct-entry and graduate-entry to medicine by institution for the last five academic years available is provided in the attached table. In relation to anticipated graduate numbers for future years, my Department does not currently produce specific projections regarding third level enrolments. Further information regarding projections...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) for the higher education sector, which is administered by the HEA on behalf of my Department, provides higher education institutions (HEIs) with support towards the costs related to ensuring students with disabilities have the necessary assistance and equipment to enable them to access, fully participate in and successfully complete their chosen...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Deputy may be aware that Budget 2025 included a package of measures to support households with the cost of higher education. These measures include a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students that are eligible for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI). The student contribution only applies in circumstances where a student is eligible for free fees; it...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: As the Deputy may be aware I recently finalised the Student Grant Scheme and Student Support Regulations 2025 which provides for different levels of maintenance grants at adjacent and non-adjacent rates. The current qualifying distance of 30km for the higher non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant is intended to provide additional support to those students who may be living away from home...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I can confirm that my Department has no contract with the aforementioned company.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: It is anticipated that the next meeting of the inter-departmental working group will happen in April. The group provides a forum for engagement between relevant Departments on matters related to student accommodation. The new Student Accommodation Strategy is due for publication in 2025.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Planning is a regulated profession under the terms of Directive 2005/36 and the regulator in Ireland is the Irish Planning Institute (IPI). Five programmes are accredited by this regulator in Irish universities. The data attached was sourced from the Student Records System database of the Higher Education Authority. Student numbers are rounded to the nearest five for data protection purposes....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Currently, there are 15,532 public purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) beds nationally. The following is the public PBSA breakdown for UCD, UCC and UL. Higher Education Institution Public PBSA Beds UCD 4,187 UCC 1,534 ULMIC 2,934146

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I wish to advise the Deputy that the information he has requested concerning the members of the technical university boards is not available in my Department. Officials are currently arranging for the compilation of the information sought and it will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible. I would note that information on the members of the governing boards is available on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (19 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Expenses claimed by all special advisors were in compliance with the DPENDER circulars and were in accordance with Civil Service procedures. The table below provides details of the expenses paid to Ministerial advisers in my Department from 1 March 2020 to date in 2025. Minister Harris was in place from January 2020 - 08th April 2024. Minister O’Donovan was in place from 09th...