Results 5,441-5,460 of 6,633 for speaker:Rose Conway-Walsh

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: When will the independent economic report on the Cassells report be published? It is widely accepted the higher education sector has been chronically underfunded since Fine Gael came to power in 2011. In the words of the Irish Universities Association, the State embarked on a sustained period of disinvestment in higher education. The European University Association's Public Funding...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I am glad it has come back to the Minister. Maybe he will confirm when it came back to his Department. A major part of the State divestment was based on passing the costs on to students and families, as is evident from the fact we now have the highest fees in the European Union. We need a sustainable funding model, as the Minister said. The Cassells report made this clear in 2016, yet...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Grant Payments (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: 1. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the holiday earnings disregard is applied to the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, for SUSI applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36806/21]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Grant Payments (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I want to know if the holiday disregard of €4,500 will be applied to the PUP payment to create equity. If students were working as they normally would, they would get disregard. I want to know before I leave here today if this disregard is going to be applied and that at a minimum €4,500 would be disregarded.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Grant Payments (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Please take it from me that the exceptional circumstances are not working. People and families who were in the same financial position last year as they are this year are being excluded by SUSI, which is unacceptable. I understand in terms of social welfare, disregards, and uniformity across the board, but we are in a global pandemic. We have made all kinds of exceptions. We have put...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Grant Payments (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Basically, the Minister needs to communicate with SUSI. People who are applying at the moment are being told that they are over the limit. They need to know. Parents and students need to plan now as to whether they can afford to go to college and continue their education. Waiting until September and hoping that everything will be okay is going to delay and clog things up. Parents and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: 27. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of the student contribution charge in 2022 for students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36802/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: 49. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of medicine and nursing places that have already been filled by those that deferred and or who sat their leaving certificate in November 2020; the number of additional nursing and medicine places that will be added for Irish and EU students in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36805/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: 50. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the substantial increase in on-campus accommodation costs for higher education institutes for the 2021-2022 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36801/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I intend to use my time to ask short questions and facilitate an exchange with the witnesses, if that is okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: First, I acknowledge the work that has been done across the sector and the challenges that have been faced in the past year. On antigen testing, obviously I wish this had been done earlier. We are backing up into September. I am concerned that everything will happen in September. A total of €1.2 million was granted and a target of 8,000 students was earmarked. Will that target...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: That was my belief because during the summer many students, such as those in my house, live at home, which begs the question of from where one will get the students. The figure of 8,000 was not plucked from the air; there is a reason it was selected in terms of the integrity of what is being proposed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: We look forward to that. The Minister, Deputy Harris, stated today that a funding package to support sustainable reopening will be made available. It will be announced on 19 July, which is a key date for many people across the State. Has all the money allocated last year been spent or is some of it being returned to the Department?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I am sorry for interrupting Professor Ó hÓgartaigh but I have several questions to ask. What I am trying to get at is that if the money has not been spent this year, will it be rolled over? Can we be guaranteed that the money that will be announced on 19 July will be new money rather than money that has been sent back or not spent?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: That is key. How many extra laboratory places or medicine places have been created with money that was allocated last year in terms of capital funding?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: We can never have enough places in that sense. Can the institutions provide lectures online next year for vulnerable students? Can lectures in lecture theatres be recorded and provided online so that those who cannot attend in person can avail of them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I will turn to the issue of apprenticeships if our guests do not mind. I am really concerned on this issue. I am concerned because the waiting list was 6,928 at the beginning of the year but in May it was 9,071. The Minister told me today that the current waiting list is in excess of 10,000. Our guests have indicated that 4,500 will be addressed in the famous month of September or in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: That is very concerning. If the Minister is stating that it is more than 10,000 for phases 2, 4 and 6 but Mr. Kearney is saying the figure is much lower, that does not fill me with confidence.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I acknowledge that it is challenging, as was discussed already. Are restrictions currently in place in respect of the number of classes that can be held on site?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (8 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I apologise for interrupting. I will return to matters relating to universities and to the restrictions on the number of classes on site. What percentage of the normal amount of class time can students expect to have in September under the plans in place for universities? Dr. Ryan or Professor Ó hÓgartaigh may wish to respond on that issue.