Results 421-440 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Institutes of Technology (12 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank Senator John O'Mahony for raising this issue. I also want to thank Senators Paddy Burke and Michelle Mulherin for raising this issue with me and the Minister, Deputy Bruton, on numerous occasions. At the outset, I would like to state that the Department and the HEA are fully committed to implementing a viable development plan for the future of the Castlebar campus of GMIT.Following...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Institutes of Technology (12 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Yes. The Senator can certainly take that. As I have said, I will publish the report before the end of the year. The Senator, in his earlier contribution, mentioned the students that would be applying.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Institutes of Technology (12 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Definitely, there will be a roadmap for GMIT before students submit CAO applications.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Institutes of Technology (12 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Acting Chairman.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Occupational First Aid (7 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank Senator Craughwell for raising this issue and for welcoming me here as Minister of State at the Department of Education with special responsibility for higher education. The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton, has asked me to take this Commencement matter. The Senator did mention I was a former school principal and yes our teachers would have been trained up...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Occupational First Aid (7 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am happy to relay the Senator's views to the Minister.

Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Committee Stage of the Bill was completed on 22 November and I will introduce Report Stage later today in the House. The provisional date for the commencement of the Second Stage debate in the Seanad is 13 December.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Technological Universities (6 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank Deputy Wallace. I acknowledge the frustration but, as the Deputy is aware from his background, if the deal was not signed then there was no deal. The vendor, unfortunately, has pulled out. That is where it is currently at. There is a commitment of an investment of €47.9 million, which would have 19,206 planned beneficiaries, for the Waterford and Wexford education and...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Technological Universities (6 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Deputy has asked about the HSE and I will certainly talk to the Minister for Health about that issue. With regard to the Wexford campus I am disappointed also, but I know the importance of making sure that we have higher education institutions in the regions. This is why I am pushing the Technological Universities Bill. We are supporting IT Carlow to assess the situation in Wexford....

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): University Governance (6 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority, HEA, for direct disbursement to the HEA-designated higher education institutions, including the universities. The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions. The internal disbursement of that funding is then a matter for the individual institution. Universities are autonomous bodies as set out in the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): University Governance (6 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I have confirmed that the sum of €15.56 million has been repaid and the outstanding sum of €1.92 million will be paid on 31 December 2017. Philanthropic funding is an important resource in helping to widen the funding base for third-level education. The accounts of Galway University Foundation Limited for the end of June 2016 were attached to the 2016 accounts of NUIG. These...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): University Governance (6 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I do not have that specific date with me. The Department supports the proposals that emerged during the discussions at meetings of the Committee of Public Accounts earlier this year, which are that the latest available audited accounts for trusts and foundations should be made available with the main financial statements laid before the Oireachtas. The HEA wrote to all institutions in June...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Technological Universities (6 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The Technological University of the South East, TUSE, consortium has received total funding of some €0.57 million to date. Last month a further €0.15 million was allocated to the consortium. Specific activities being progressed currently include a review of human resources processes etc. The Deputy is aware that the Institute of Technology Carlow has a Wexford campus based...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (6 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: While there has been a decline in the position of some Irish Institutions in some international rankings systems, Ireland performs ahead of most European countries relative to our population size and has the highest level of tertiary attainment rate for 30-34 year olds in Europe. My Department has consistently outlined that we have to be cautious about how we interpret the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gender Equality (6 Dec 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The NUI Galway Report of its Gender Equality Task Force identified 24 recommendations to be implemented by the University. The membership of the task force is available on the NUI, Galway website. I understand that NUI, Galway has a Gender Equality Action Plan in place regarding implementation of its Gender Equality Task Force recommendations and those of the...

Seanad: Student Universal Support Ireland: Statements (23 Nov 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am delighted to be invited to Seanad Éireann today to speak on the report on the eligibility of maintenance grants to students - Wake-up SUSI. I welcome the report from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills, which adds to the debate on the future funding of the higher education sector. The report makes five recommendations and I will deal with each of these in turn...

Seanad: Student Universal Support Ireland: Statements (23 Nov 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The division would normally be at about this time every Thursday.

Seanad: Student Universal Support Ireland: Statements (23 Nov 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Go raibh míle maith agat.

Seanad: Student Universal Support Ireland: Statements (23 Nov 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: It would be difficult to extend the student support scheme to private colleges without also making provision for other supports such as the free fees, the student assistance fund and the fund for students with disabilities. These costs are not factored into the estimated €17 million figure. This is an estimate of the likely cost of extending the student support scheme but there is a...

Seanad: Student Universal Support Ireland: Statements (23 Nov 2017)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Yes, I have to attend. Apologies. I will make my way back.