Results 381-400 of 6,340 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (21 May 2025)

James Lawless: My Department works collaboratively, through SOLAS and the HEA, with the Education Training Boards and all higher education institutions on the development and delivery of capital projects. Capital investment in Galway during the course of 2025 will be realised through existing capital projects and devolved funding mechanisms as set out below. Higher EducationUniversity of Galway...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (21 May 2025)

James Lawless: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006, and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Under this legislation, they are academically and administratively independent and entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes. Neither I nor my Department have a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (21 May 2025)

James Lawless: Under the Short-Term Activation Programme, funding was allocated to Higher Education Institutions with purpose-built student accommodation projects that had secured planning permission but had stalled due to viability challenges. As part of the funding conditions, a proportion of the new student beds will be ringfenced for students from target groups identified in the National Access Plan....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Work Permits (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: Under the Third Country Researchers Directive, Ireland offers a fast-track work permit, or a hosting agreement, for third-country researchers from countries outside of the European Economic Area (EEA). The Third Country Researchers Directive allows researchers to carry out research projects with a recognised research organisation in Ireland using a permit that can last from three months to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Nursing Education (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 908 to 913, inclusive, together. Information on to new entrants to undergraduate programmes in the disciplines requested is contained in the spreadsheet at the following link. This data was sourced from the Student Records System (SRS) of the Higher Education Authority (HEA). The data is from 2018 to most recent available. As the CAO is a private company,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: A new student accommodation strategy is currently in development. The vision for this strategy is to ensure that the availability and rental cost of student accommodation no longer act as barriers to access or progress through third-level education. By addressing these challenges, we aim to create an equitable environment where students, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: On behalf of my Department, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) appointed an expert multi-disciplinary design team to research and develop new design standards for State supported purpose-built student accommodation. The development of the new design standards will be key to establishing best practice and value for money for the State, ensuring additional supply for students, and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: On behalf of my Department, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) appointed an expert multi-disciplinary design team to research and develop new design standards for State supported purpose-built student accommodation. The development of the new design standards will be key to establishing best practice and value for money for the State, ensuring additional supply for students, and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: Stage 1 of the Technological Sector Student Accommodation Programme (TSSAP) included the development of a supply and demand model and a programmatic approach for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to submit preliminary business cases for student accommodation. Following submissions from the HEIs last year, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) undertook an evaluation of these preliminary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: Stage 1 of the Technological Sector Student Accommodation Programme(TSSAP) included the development of a supply and demand model and a programmatic approach for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to submit preliminary business cases for student accommodation. Following submissions from the HEIs last year, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) undertook an evaluation of these preliminary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: For institutions other than traditional universities to borrow, a consultation process with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) is required. This would necessitate the establishment of an appropriate framework setting out the criteria, financial and non-financial, including governance, oversight and reporting to define the operational process through which such consent would be sought and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: In advance of Budget 2026, I will publish the annual options paper which will set out various possible measures to address matters pertaining to the cost of education. This paper facilitates a public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports, including the Student Assistant Fund. These options will be considered as part of the deliberations around Budget 2026. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: The 2024 Rent-a-Room campaign highlighted the effectiveness of targeted messaging and multi-channel outreach in increasing the availability of 'digs' accommodation. Central to the campaign’s success was clear communication around the financial benefits of the Rent-a-Room scheme to homeowners, including tax relief and disregards for social supports. Following a review of the 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: In recent years, demand for craft apprenticeships has surged. Craft apprenticeship registrations increased by 34% over a five-year period, from 5,300 in 2019 to 7,100 in 2024. This increase, allied to physical closures of training venues as part of the pandemic response, led to a situation of insufficient capacity to meet growing demand. In November 2023, the National Apprenticeship...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: I was pleased to announce the key findings from the latest National Survey of Apprentices at the end of April (assets.gov.ie/static/documents/National_Survey_of_Apprentic es_2024-2025_Infographic.pdf). This comprehensive survey of 5,500 apprentices reaffirms the value of apprenticeships in delivering strong, relevant learning and career outcomes in 77 national occupations, with a growing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: A Locally Devised Assessment (LDA) refers to an assessment created by a Further Education and Training (FET) provider to evaluate learners' skills and competencies in a specific course or module. These assessments align with the learning outcomes set by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) or potentially other awarding bodies but are designed locally to suit the needs of learners and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: Locally Devised Assessment (LDA) fees are paid to assessors in respect of devising and assessing Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) modules on full-time programmes at levels 5 and 6 of the National Framework of Qualifications. For historical reasons, there are also thirty-one level 4 modules for which LDA fees are paid, where they form part of the QQI major award at level 5. Rates...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 928 and 929 together. Under the Short-Term Activation Programme, funding was allocated to Higher Education Institutions with Purpose-Built Student Accommodation projects that had secured planning permission but had stalled due to viability challenges. As part of the funding conditions, a proportion of the new student beds will be ringfenced for students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: As part of the emergency response to support persons from Ukraine, a Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme was introduced. The temporary supports helped Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) to undertake undergraduate or postgraduate courses in academic years 2022/23; 2023/24 and 2024/25. For 2022/23, 310 students availed of the Temporary Tuition Fee Support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (20 May 2025)

James Lawless: I can confirm to the Deputy that I met the CEO and Chairperson of SOLAS on 6th February. I am planning to meet with the SOLAS Board and my officials are liaising with SOLAS in relation to the arrangements for this meeting.