Results 381-400 of 10,490 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Bodies (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I have received a draft version of the 2023 Annual Report from the Higher Education Authority (HEA). The HEA has informed me that the 2023 Annual Report is currently being translated into Irish and going through final design stages. It is expected that this work will be completed within the next few weeks. The HEA will send me a copy of the final 2023 Annual Report once it becomes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (24 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 375 and 376 together. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) manages the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) for higher education on behalf of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS). Funding under the FSD is provided to HEIs as a block grant to assist them in offering supports and services to eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Properties (24 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 the proposed infrastructure that will be delivered in 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Supports for students living in Palestine are delivered through a number of Irish Universities as part of the Scholars at Risk Programme and University Sanctuary Programmes, in addition to specific institutional responses. This includes specific scholarships schemes and other well-being supports. The Department of Foreign Affairs is also providing support to students from Palestine...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: 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. As per Article 17(4)(b) of the Student Grant Scheme 2024, a student or tuition student is ineligible for grant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Placements for health and social care programmes are arranged at the level of each individual Higher Education Institution as part of their programme offering, to be delivered in conjunction with relevant clinical placement providers. Early Years Education programme placements are provided by early years education settings. Placement hours are a requirement of the regulator to meet the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (24 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy will be aware that I published the Annual Options Paper on Reducing the Cost of Education in September (). The paper identifies various options to reduce the cost of education, including options to reduce the student contribution paid by students. The Annual Options Paper has estimated the cost of removing the student contribution at circa €289m; this is the net cost...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Government recognises third level education can be a significant cost for families and students. The Deputy will be aware that I published, in September, this year’s Annual Options Paper on the cost of education which sets out options for further enhancement of student supports across the various sectors and was considered as part of this year’s budgetary process. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous institutions responsible for their own academic affairs including the curriculum and student numbers on individual courses. The costs incurred by a HEI in increasing student places on a particular course or establishing an additional course can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the individual circumstances...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Bodies (23 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The following table includes a breakdown of all payments made to CEOs of State agencies under the remit of my department for each year since 2022 in tabular form. Name of Body Salary of CEO or equivalent paid at the Scale or Rate ( please check to ensure Grade salary scale details are up to date) Other payments/bonuses paid Describe nature of any benefit in...

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

Patrick O'Donovan: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous institutions responsible for their own academic affairs including the curriculum and student numbers on individual courses. The costs incurred by a HEI in increasing student places on a particular course or establishing an additional course can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the individual circumstances...

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...