Results 541-560 of 6,340 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: Under Section 49 of the Higher Education Act 2022 publicly funded Higher Education Institutions must provide statistics on student enrolments and graduates to the HEA in the form of an annual statistical return. The Statistics Unit of the Higher Education Authority is responsible for collecting, auditing and analysing these student data returns. Therefore the HEA has responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: The Central Applications Office (CAO), an independent registered not-for-profit company, is responsible for processing applications for undergraduate courses in Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Decisions on admissions to undergraduate courses are made by the Higher Education Institutes who instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates based on the number of points they...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities for 2015 – 2024, commits the Government to progressively increasing the statutory target for the employment of people with disabilities from 3% to a minimum of 6% in the public sector by 2024. As the Deputy will be aware the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: The main form of financial assistance available to higher education students is the Student Grant Scheme which is administered by SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). Part-Time, Online and Distance Learning Courses, do not qualify for grant assistance under the Student Grant Scheme. However, my Department does recognise the need to offer support for more flexible forms of learning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: Students with disabilities has been identified as a priority group who are under-represented in higher education and in need of additional focus under the National Access Plan (NAP). The NAP sets out the ambition for an inclusive, diverse higher education sector. A target to increase new entrants with a disability from 12.4% in 2022 to 16% by 2028 was set in the NAP. The latest figures...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: Almost all of my Department's computer systems can utilise the síneadh fada. The exceptions to this are listed in the table below. The current inability of these systems to utilise the síneadh fada is due to external restrictions which my Department will keep under review. Computer System Restriction Comment: Microsoft Entra ID ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Directives (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: My Department is working on two statutory instruments that will give effect to amendments to Directive 2005/36/EC. The details and current status are outlined in the table below. Directive Transposition Date Due Current Status Directive (EU) 2024/505 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 February 2024 amending Directive 2005/36/EC as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: My Department has not rented any properties since its establishment in 2020. All of my Department's official locations are on sites owned or operated by the OPW.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: My Department has a contract with Allpro Services for the provision of cleaning services. The value of this contract is €290,000 exclusive of VAT and is apportioned to multiple locations. It includes services provided to the Department of Education under a shared services agreement.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department does not have a contract with an external security company.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: Under the latest National FET Strategy (2020 – 2024), which identified ‘pathways’ as a strategic priority, more school leavers and others progressed to higher education through routes other than the leaving cert route than ever before. A learner without a Leaving Certificate can enter FET at any point up to Level 4 and progress on to levels 5, 6 and then to higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: Following the Expression of Interest (EOI) process, it was decided last September to announce that two programmes in Veterinary Medicine were to be launched, in Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and South East Technological University (SETU). It is anticipated that this programme will have its first intake in September 2026, with up to 40 students expected to enrol. Engagement...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: Global Citizens 2030 sets out Ireland’s ambitions to embed excellence in talent and innovation into Ireland’s global footprint and is the first international strategy to encompass the breadth of tertiary education, and the whole research and innovation ecosystem. It builds upon Ireland’s many achievements over the past decade and is intended to confirm Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department currently employs one Engineer Grade 1 and one Quantity Surveyor Grade 1. The table below sets out the employment record per grade from 2023,2024 and 2025. Grade 2023 2024 2025 Engineer Grade 1 1 1 1 Quantity Surveyor Grade 1 1 1 1

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: I wish to advise the Deputy that within the Ireland Fellows Programme, delivered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, there is a specific strand - the Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme - which provides the opportunity for successful candidates to complete a one-year Master’s-level programme in Ireland. This currently supports 25 Palestinian students attending 15...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is a pathway for degree holders who want to pursue a medical career on an accelerated four-year programme. Students pursuing GEM programmes do so as second degree courses and consequently are not eligible for free fees funding. They are also not eligible for funding under the Student Grant Scheme as they do not meet the progression criteria of the Scheme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2579 and 2580 together. The provision of qualified graduates in therapy disciplines is a priority for my Department. The postgraduate pathway in therapy disciplines provides an important route for students who have previously completed an undergraduate degree to the entry requirement standard. It is important to note that Higher Education Institutions set...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (29 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: Research, innovation and skills play a central role in strengthening the Irish economy. Continuing to build Ireland’s knowledge driven economy is a priority strongly underpinned by the commitment to enhance Ireland’s research and innovation system in the Programme for Government. Ireland’s reputation as a reliable and principled research partner is recognised by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (10 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: My officials are liaising with Kerry ETB and I will follow up with the Minister in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (10 Apr 2025)

James Lawless: The Central Applications Office (CAO) is a not-for-profit company created by the Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It processes applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on the behalf of HEIs. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the operation of the CAO, and queries on points ascribed to Leaving Certificate results are a matter for the CAO and HEIs. ...