Results 361-380 of 10,459 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The higher education tuition fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety of factors including the type of course and the student's access route. The assessment of a student’s application and the determination of the appropriate fee rate is a function of the institution attended. As the Deputy may be aware there are typically two rates of fee, an EU Rate of Fee or a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2025 (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Budget 2025 marks a significant milestone for the entire Further Education, Higher Education and Research sector with an investment of almost €1.5 billion over the next six years. This year's Budget included an allocation of €16.4 million to increase the number of places across veterinary, medicine and other healthcare disciplines. This will include: €8.6m to support the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Following bilateral meetings between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform in Q1 2024, capital allocations for my Department were agreed out to 2026. Beyond 2026, there is no agreed capital allocation at this time and a process to address the 2027-2030 period will take place in due course. As part of the revision of capital allocations out to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy is aware the decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the awarding authority, SUSI to determine. Under the Student Grant Scheme for full-time courses, income from employment which represents holiday earnings outside of term time (Easter, summer and Christmas holidays) can be deducted when determining the reckonable income of an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Government through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science remains fully committed to the delivery of the PPP Bundle 2. This commitment to the PPP programme has been carried through into the current National Development Plan 2018-2027. There are five projects in Bundle 2, two at SETU campuses of Waterford and Carlow, TUS Limerick, ATU Galway and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: In Q4 2024, as part of my Department's national strategy for student accommodation the Higher Education Authority (HEA) is conducting a supply and demand analysis. This work is underway with results and analysis expected in Q1 2025. This work includes a student survey, which will be undertaken annually by the HEA and will be the largest and most up to date source of data on student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: As you are aware, funding was approved to assist the Technological University (TU) sector in developing a student accommodation programme based on a regional needs and feasibility assessment. The objective of the TU feasibility study is to establish an accurate “as is” account of available student accommodation supply; project future supply and demand for accommodation; and to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The higher education capital budget is managed at an overall level, in conjunction with the HEA, with the allocation to a higher education institution (including SETU) in any one year determined by, among other factors, the pace of progress of its projects through design, planning, procurement and delivery and subject to NDP provision. My Department has disbursed over €21.5m in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Higher Education Authority ran a process to identify options to expand higher education provision in a number of priority skills areas, including pharmacy. Proposals were put forward by a range of higher education institutions under this process. On 18th October 2024, following recommendations received from the HEA, I announced a series of programmes for advancement in Pharmacy, as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy may be aware of the report published in 2022 by the OECD following review of technological university academic career paths, contracts and organisation in Ireland. The review concluded that the development of a career model framework and attendant employment contract is an urgent reform necessary for the successful transformation of the TU sector. The report includes reference to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: A repayment agreement for the €5 million emergency funding provided to the Institute of Technology Tralee, now Munster Technological University, in 2019 was signed between the Higher Education Authority, Munster Technological University and my Department in early 2023. A repayment schedule was put in place to enable repayments on the €5 million emergency funding which commenced...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department has disbursed almost €195m in capital funding to the Technological University Sector under a number of capital programmes including the Higher Education Strategic and Infrastructural Fund (HESIF), the Infrastructure and Refurbishment Fund (IURF), the Energy Efficiency Decarbonisation Pathway Programme (EEDPP), the Devolved Capital Grant, the Apprenticeship Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department is progressing both short and longer term student accommodation policy responses under the Housing for All plan. Through Budget 2025 I secured €6million annual recurrent funding to support the activation of up to 1,200 student accommodation beds in regional campus locations. A leasing programme is being developed as a key deliverable arising from the TU student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Thank you Deputy for your question. As Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science I have had no input into the content of the graduate diploma in social, personal and health education and relationships and sexuality education course at DCU, nor have any officials from my Department. Decisions around programmes and content are the remit of Higher Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The City of Dublin Education and Training Board has informed my Department of the following numbers. Number of instructors employed for Cybersecurity Associate Level 6 Apprenticeship Employer Category 2022 2023 2024 City of Dublin ETB Teacher 0 1 1 City of Dublin ETB Instructor ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department has no properties either owned or leased that are currently vacant. Staff of my Department are accommodated in premises in St. Stephen's Green, Dublin. Staff are also accommodated in Marlborough St, Dublin and Tullamore on a shared basis with other Departments and Offices. The Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for the sourcing of office accommodation for my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy will be aware that Kerry ETB are being supported by SOLAS in developing their Preliminary Business Case (PBC) proposal for Killarney under the FET College of the Future Major Projects fund. The development of a robust PBC is fundamental to the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines. The proposal put forward by KETB is one of twelve projects that are currently being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (22 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The higher education tuition fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety of factors including the type of course and the student's access route. The assessment of a student’s application and the determination of the appropriate fee rate is a function of the institution attended. As the Deputy may be aware there are typically two rates of fee, an EU Rate of Fee or a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (17 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The new Government Science Adviser is Professor Aoife McLysaght. Professor McLysaght is seconded from Trinity College Dublin where she is on the ‘Professor Of’ Scale at Point 5 – 172,016. The role in DFHERIS is 3 days a week so the salary will be prorated on this basis. The remuneration is in line with the Assistant Secretary - Personal Pension Contribution (PPC) scale...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2025 (17 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy will be aware that Budget 2025 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost of 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). To avail of this measure students must be eligible for free fees and attending a free fees approved...