Results 261-280 of 5,893 for speaker:James Lawless

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

James Lawless: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies who regulate their own administrative and academic affairs, including in relation to issues such as timetabling and usage of space. My Department supports Further and Higher Education Institutions in delivering courses which are flexible to suit learners needs, whether full time, part time, evening or weekend. Many HEIs already provide...

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 free up private rental homes. I will focus on a combination of digs accommodation, 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: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: As the Deputy is aware, my Department increased the hourly rate of pay for personal assistants by 43%, bringing the rate from €14 per hour to €21 per hour, plus 8% holiday pay in response to discussions between a representative group of personal assistants and the former Minister in my Department, Tánaiste Simon Harris. In 2024, FÓRSA submitted a claim to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Energy Conservation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Green and sustainability-focused skills are essential for meeting this Government’s ambitious climate targets set out in the Climate Action Plan, in particular the target to retrofit 500,000 homes to BER B2 standard by 2030. My Department directly supports a broad range of initiatives to ensure that workers are equipped with the skills required to meet these challenges. ...

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

James Lawless: I thank the Deputy for her question. In line with the Programme for Government commitment to provide a step change in the supports and services required by people with disabilities, making education accessible for everyone is the hallmark of this Government’s approach to the Further and Higher Education sector. My Department is working to make the system more responsive to the...

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

James Lawless: This government is prioritising workforce planning across health and disability services, including in Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy disciplines. My officials and I are working closely with other Departments to address workforce needs by expanding training places in areas of acute skills shortages, ensuring a strong pipeline of qualified graduates for our health and...

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

James Lawless: The Department of Transport is responsible for transport policy and overseeing transport services and infrastructure. My Department is engaging with that department to facilitate the alignment of student accommodation policy with climate action requirements. The development of local area demand management schemes in conjunction with the relevant local authorities aims to provide targeted...

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

James Lawless: Through the new Student Accommodation Strategy, which is in development, my focus will be on increasing the supply of student accommodation to benefit students and also to free up private rental homes. I will focus on a combination of digs accommodation, 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: Third Level Fees (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Funding the Future framework, published in May 2022, outlines the Government’s vision for how higher education will be funded and how it 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...

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

James Lawless: I would like to assure the Deputy that I fully understand the importance of adult education and its ability to empower individuals, enhance their learning and provide new opportunities. Ensuring access to education for adults is essential for personal development, career progression and community enrichment. As the state agency responsible for the further education and training sector,...

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

James Lawless: The main form of financial assistance available to higher education students is the Student Grant Scheme administered by SUSI. Maintenance grants under the Student Grant Scheme are awarded either at a higher non-adjacent rate or an adjacent rate, depending on the distance between the applicant’s normal residence and the college attended. As the Deputy may be aware I recently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Island Communities (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Green and sustainability-focused skills in construction are essential for meeting this Government’s ambitious climate targets set out in the Climate Action Plan as well as to meet needs of the islands. In keeping with policy measure 2.10 of the ‘Our Living Islands Action Plan 2023-2026’, which aims to actively promote apprenticeships and skilled trades as a valuable...

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

James Lawless: My Department and I committed to expanding the number of places available on Medicine Programmes in a sustainable way in collaboration with my cabinet colleague Minister Carroll McNeill and her officials in the Department of Health. In July 2022, along with the Minister for Health, an agreement was announced to increase the number of annual intake places available for Irish and EU students...

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

James Lawless: In line with Section 24 of the Universities Act, 1997, the Governing Authority is responsible for the appointment of a person to be the chief officer (President) of its university. The Minister has no role in this process. The position of President in the University of Galway has been vacant since Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh resigned from his position on September 6th 2024....

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: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: My Department's Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 aims to make apprenticeship visible and recognised by learners, employers, family and career guidance professionals by promoting and incentivising uptake on apprenticeship programmes as an attractive route to qualifications and a career. Targeted financial supports are offered to apprentices through the Access to Apprenticeship...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Our higher education system plays an important role in supporting and promoting the use of the Irish language. I am determined to see that students who wish to learn and continue to use Irish at third level be given opportunities to do so. To this end, officials from my Department sit on the Steering Committee for the new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. It should be...

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

James Lawless: The new Student Accommodation Strategy is currently at development stage. In this strategy, my focus will be on increasing the supply of student accommodation to benefit students and to free up private rental homes. I will focus on a combination of digs accommodation, examination of vacant properties, and the development and leasing of purpose-built student accommodation. I will also...

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

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 61 together. I remain committed to easing the financial burden on students and families in accessing education and training. In advance of Budget 2026, and as my Department did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out the various possible measures to address the costs of education. This will include options in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: As the Deputy will be aware, students eligible for the Free Fees Initiative have their tuition fees paid by the State, exclusive of the student contribution. Over 143,000 undergraduate students benefit from the scheme each year, at a cost of over €368 million. This universal scheme is paid as a grant on behalf of students without any means testing. Students pay a student contribution...