Results 421-440 of 6,340 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: SETU was the third technological university to complete the CINNTE review process in 2024 as required by the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) as part of their review cycle. As an agency of my Department QQI is responsible for the external quality assurance (QA) of higher education. In the case of SETU the review, conducted by an independent team of experts appointed by QQI, has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: My Department is fully committed to supporting the continued development of SETU, along with all five Technological Universities, in line with our commitments towards the sector under the Programme for Government. SETU is a particularly vital part of the sector, representing as it does the only university presence in the South East region. SETU is already delivering on its potential as a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the state agency responsible for the external quality assurance of higher education in Ireland. One of QQI’s functions is to monitor and review quality assurance in higher education institutions. CINNTE is the name of the current quality assurance review cycle and it measures institutional accountability with regard to the expectations set...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Construction Industry (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: I would like to thank Deputy Tóibín for his question, as well as for the opportunity to update him on the work my Department is doing in this area. In October 2024, my Department launched the Build Back Home campaign. This was a targeted international social media campaign aimed at Irish construction workers living abroad. It was funded through the 2024 Housing for All...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: My Department is not aware of any proposal to close or relocate the Saint Vincent’s, Sunday’s Well music department of UCC. My Department has consulted with the Higher Education Authority on the matter; the HEA has confirmed that it also has not received any information regarding a timeline for such a move or any future plans for the music department. UCC is an autonomous...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: The decision on eligibility for student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine. In general, for student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: 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 applicant. The maximum...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: Neither SOLAS nor my department is involved in the setting of wages for apprentices. Apprentices are employees and party to a contract of employment with their employers. For the 25 craft apprenticeship programmes, the minimum rates of pay applying under the contract of employment are either agreed within the relevant sector or are set out in legally binding Sectoral Employment Orders...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous institutions responsible for their own academic affairs including the development of relevant curriculum, setting international tuition fee rates, and student numbers on individual courses. Tuition fees are subject to change. I understand that international fee rates can vary depending on a variety of factors, including the type of course and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: The Student Grant Scheme is a means-tested scheme. The numbers of students undertaking courses relating to micro-credentials who would meet the means tested criteria and other eligibility criteria for SUSI is not held by my Department and therefore I cannot provide an estimate as requested.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: The Student Grant Scheme is targeted at those students who are most in need of financial assistance and the Special Rate of grant is a key tool in targeting student grant assistance at the cohort of students who are most in need. The qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant in the 2025 Student Grant Scheme are as follows: (i) The student must qualify for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1241, 1242, 1243, 1244, 1245, 1246 and 1247 together. Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB (DDLETB) are currently being supported by SOLAS in developing their proposal for Swords under the FET College of the Future Major Projects fund. The proposal put forward by DDLETB is one of twelve projects that are currently being progressed under this fund. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your question, and for the opportunity to outline the work my Department is doing to support the education and upskilling of planners and related professionals. The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is acutely aware of the increasing demand for skilled professionals involved in the planning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme which is administered by SUSI. 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. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1250 to 1258, inclusive, together. My Department is not responsible for the direct management, governance or oversight of any non-governmental organisation (NGO).

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Scientific Research (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: As set out in the Deputy's question, the replicability of research findings has emerged as a concern in a number of fields in recent years, including life sciences. Clearly the reliability and robustness of research findings is central to scientific progress. The promotion of a culture of open research and research integrity can help support the achievement of these crucial objectives. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Scientific Research (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: Research integrity relates to the performance of research to the highest standards of professionalism and rigour, and to the accuracy and integrity of the research record in publications and elsewhere. It is essential that the Irish research system as a whole protects its reputation for the quality and integrity of its research activity and outputs. Research integrity is best ensured, in so...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: The Universities Act 1997, Technological Universities Act 2018, and the Institutes of Technology Act 2006 are among the principal legislative instruments governing higher education institutions (HEIs) in Ireland. These Acts grant HEIs autonomy over their academic and administrative functions, including admissions policies. Most applications to higher education are processed through the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: For student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent mature student if he or she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course or of re-entry following a break in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (13 May 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1263 and 1265 together. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the awarding authority, SUSI to determine. Postgraduate students who meet all the conditions of the Student Grant Scheme may become eligible for the following supports: A student Maintenance grant which was restored in September 2024 for...