Results 41-60 of 6,558 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (15 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The Deputy may be aware that my Department, through the Higher Education Authority and Research Ireland, has leveraged the Shared Island fund to establish collaborative research programmes under the first call of the North-South Research Programme. This amounted to €37 million. A further €70 million has been allocated to the establishment of two Co-centres for Research on a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (15 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: There is a comprehensive and ambitious set of commitments for research and innovation in the Programme for Government. This work, including the commitment to create research fellowships to strengthen Ireland’s appeal to top-tier academic and research talent, will be progressed via a number of policies, primarily under Impact 2030: Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (15 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The formation of Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland in August 2024 is an essential aspect of the Impact 2030 Strategy, designed to support the development of a more effective and cohesive national research and innovation ecosystem. Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland is working with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and others to ensure delivery of Ireland's research...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (15 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: While my Department have certain actions within this strategy, the subject of this question does not fall under my remit and is more appropriate to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. My officials have been in contact with that Department and they have advised that they would forward a response to you should you contact them directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (15 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: A list of all national strategies, action plans or documents that may be described as such which are currently in operation and under the remit of my Department can be found below:Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025Public Service Action PlanFuture FET: Transforming Learning 2020-2024National Skills Strategy 2016-2025The OECD Ireland Skills Strategy Review 2023 and its recommendations act...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (15 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The objective of the statutory based student grant scheme is to provide additional assistance where parental income is below a certain threshold or, in the case of independent mature students, where the level of income of the student and his or her spouse warrants additional assistance by way of a grant. For student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances...

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I know.

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Yes.

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Absolutely.

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Absolutely. Some work is being done on external authenticators. We will come back to the Deputy on that. As regards the teacher model, I am keen to take up that discussion further. It is something I would like to explore. If the Deputy wants to arrange something, I would be happy to do that as well. We will have to engage with the unions as well and see what the views of the...

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: On disability and enabling students, there is also the disability access route to education, DARE, programme, for higher education. One of the ways that works is that 5% of places are ring-fenced for students with disabilities, and within that 5% students with disabilities are competing with each other, not other students. That is one way to level the playing field or an attempt to. There...

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: There is a technological university support fund for the provision of accommodation and there is engagement going on between the Department and the TUs on that. It as at preliminary business case stage so that is being worked through. I am putting a lot of emphasis on State-sponsored student accommodation but the private sector is also free to take up the guidelines I produced and begin to...

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Yes. We can do a note for the Deputy on that as well. We will get that to him.

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Yes.

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I have extended it. It will go for Cabinet approval-----

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Yes. We can get a note to the Deputy on that.

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: That is a very important project. I have seen the difference it makes. I visited the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities, the Field of Dreams in Cork and others. It is amazing.

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I thank the Deputy. On digs, the current model has a licensing agreement. That is standardised and prepared by the Department. It is made available to all digs providers. They operate under the rent-a-room scheme mostly. There is a Revenue tax relief for them if they do that. The idea is to encourage people in any walk of life but often older people who have a spare room and are living...

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: There is where the educational institute as an enormous institution has to come to me with plans. Technically, it actually has to come to the HEA with plans. I am very ambitious for that campus. I would love to see that developed to its full capacity. There is a great opportunity there. The local authority is heavily engaged with it as well. The soccer club also has plans to move onto...

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: There are a couple of questions there. As regards the adult educator issue, €6 million is paid out by my Department to SOLAS for the adult educators. There are additional moneys in this revision as part of the FET pay structures there, so €6 million is being provided. I am aware of the protest and am engaging with the group. I am happy to meet them if they wish to arrange....