Results 641-660 of 10,778 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (22 Jan 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: The information in relation to details of any public contracts in the Department provided to companies or individuals who do not pay tax in Ireland, including the names of the contractor, value of the contract and purpose of the contract, in tabular form is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available. The Deputy's office has been contacted to confirm the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (22 Jan 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: I can confirm that my Department has had no contract with any of the aforementioned companies.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (7 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 568, 572, 573 and 574 together. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous under the relevant legislation. This autonomy includes the development and implementation of policies, procedures, day to day management and the administration of their academic affairs. As such neither I nor my Department have a direct role in these matters.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Inquiries (7 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Springboard+ is a Government initiative managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of my Department, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science (DFHERIS). Since 2022, eligibility for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) for Springboard+ courses is determined ostensibly on the same basis as Irish citizens. However, specific...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (7 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: This question is more appropriate to the Department of Social Protection. My officials have been in contact with that Department and they would be happy to respond to you directly if you contact them.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (7 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science does not place a cap on the number of Social Work or Social Care places in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Provision of Social Care and Social Work programmes has increased in recent years, due to the Action Plan resulting from the Social Work Education Group. The Social Work Education Group (SWEG) was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (7 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous under the relevant legislation regarding their day to day management and academic affairs. This Department does not put a cap on the number of places available in particular courses by HEIs. The costs incurred by a HEI in increasing student places on a particular course or establishing an additional course can vary depending on a variety...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Examinations (6 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Trinity College Dublin is an autonomous institution within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997. Under this legislation, it is academically and administratively independent and is entitled to regulate its own academic affairs and administrative processes. Neither I nor my Department have a role in these internal processes. I would encourage any student with queries regarding their...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: It happens to us all, a Cheann Comhairle.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy may be aware, the objective of the statutory based student grant scheme is to provide additional assistance where household income is below a certain threshold. For student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents/legal guardian or as independent mature students. A candidate's reckonable income for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy may be aware that 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 be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if they have attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Student Grant Scheme is a statutory scheme. As with any statutory scheme, a core principle of the Student Grant Scheme is that there is consistency of approach and an equitable treatment for applicants. All applications are therefore assessed nationally with reference to the terms and conditions of the Scheme, which are applied impartially to all applicants. SUSI has no discretion...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: In my Department, staff figures are recorded on a quarterly basis. The number of staff vacancies for Quarter 3 (up to the end of September) in 2023 was 34 and for Quarter 3 in 2024 was 43. The staff vacancies by grades for Quarter 3 in 2023 and Quarter 3 in 2024 are set out in the following tables: Q3 2023 Principal Officer 1 Assistant Principal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: For the 25 craft apprenticeship programmes including for the motor mechanic programme, the sectoral gross wage norms are either agreed within the relevant sector through collective bargaining agreements, or are set out in legally binding Sectoral Employment Orders recommended by the Labour Court. Periods of off-the-job training are funded from the National Training Fund with payments made...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine. An official from my Department has advised that the student outlined by the Deputy was issued a letter by SUSI on 25 October 2024 requesting additional documentation. On receipt of the requested...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The number of staff from my Department who were on a career break in 2023 and 2024, is set out in the below table. 2023 Principal Officer 1 Administrative Officer 2 Executive Officer 0.5 2024 Principal Officer 1 HIgher Executive Officer 1 Administrative...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Officials from my Department will contact the Deputy for further information in respect of the question posed and will revert to the Deputy directly upon receipt of this further information.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine. An official from my Department has advised that the student outlined by the Deputy was awarded the €500 student contribution grant by the awarding authority, SUSI, for the 2024/2025 academic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible 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. In relation to supports available for students studying abroad, the Student Grant Scheme provides...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (5 Nov 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department, in line with other government departments, requires Civil Servants to comply with Sections 31-34 of the Circular 4/2013, when returning from a Career Break. In particular, Section 31, which states that ‘in order to secure an offer of work, the civil servant must indicate at least two months before the end of his/her career break that s/he wishes to return to work....