Results 661-680 of 10,554 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Ireland is experiencing record numbers of people in employment, resulting in a highly competitive market for talent. In the context of these labour market conditions, there are a number of areas which are experiencing shortages of trained professionals. The November 2023 Skills and Labour Market Research Unit "Difficult-to-Fill Vacancies Survey" identified Science, Technology &...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: This Government has made significant investment to grow the apprenticeship system. In Budget 2025 my Department secured a significant investment of €77.4m into the apprenticeship system. This represents the single largest investment in core apprenticeship funding since the formation of my Department in 2020 and, since then, investment in apprenticeship has increased by 83%. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Following on from improvements made to the Student Grant Scheme in both Budget 2023 and 2024, a range of further measures were announced as part of Budget 2025 to enhance the scheme and other supports. Improvements to the Student Grant Schemes effective from September 2025 include: Increasing the Special Rate of Maintenance Grant threshold from €26,200 to €27,400. Increasing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Since the establishment of my Department in June 2020, a key objective has been the continuing enhancement of quality education provision at third level. My Department has worked to drive performance & governance reform and improved outcomes as we work to deliver a world-class tertiary education system that is accessible, adaptable, and aligned with the evolving needs of society. On...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (8 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department’s vision, as outlined in its Statement of Strategy, is to develop an inclusive, learning and innovative society where every person is able to reach their full potential. With a focus on education, training and research, my Department will contribute towards a prosperous, sustainable and vibrant society, ready to meet the challenges of a changing world. To realise this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: It is a priority of the Department to expand pathways into and within tertiary education, supporting learners to get to where they want to go according to a learning route that is well-suited to their needs. There are approximately 400,000 people enrolled in further and higher education in Ireland, and this is projected to grow further in the coming years. My Department has prioritised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department is focused on driving a skills ecosystem and skills agenda in Ireland which is agile and responsive to priority skills needs, including changes in the world of work driven by technology, to ensure Ireland has a skilled and productive workforce. My Department places a fundamental focus on working with the skills ecosystem, to ensure an adequate pipeline of skills to match...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (8 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Student Grant Scheme is the principal support for students in financial terms by my Department and is administered on behalf of my Department by the national student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), a business unit of City of Dublin ETB. It provides grant assistance to eligible students attending approved full-time and part-time courses in approved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (8 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I am very much aware that the rising cost of living continues to impact students, as highlighted by data sources such as the Consumer Price Index and the Eurostudent Survey, in which monthly expenditure was reported by respondents as €1340, up from €1135 in the previous survey. The Government, through successive budgets, has sought to reduce the cost of higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: There are a number of key strategies in place at all levels of education to ensure we meet existing and future skills demands, including in the area of the sciences. These include policies designed to ensure a pipeline of suitably qualified science and technical graduates, and initiatives to equip young people and the working population more generally with the skills and capacity to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (8 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department's focus is to ensure that workers have the skills required to deliver Government priorities, including for residential construction and retrofitting and the National Development Plan. This can only be achieved by working with industry to ensure that construction skills provision matches identified needs. My officials work with partners such as the Construction Industry...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (8 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: One of my goals as Minister is to ensure that potential learners have access to the educational pathways that allow them reach their potential in a way that meets the very broad and rapidly changing needs of our labour force, the economy and society. It is therefore my objective to ensure that there is access into either further or higher education for each person who wishes to pursue...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (3 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department is engaging extensively with the Department of Health, the HSE and the Universities to expand provision in radiation therapy programmes. The recruitment of appropriately qualified staff as Practice Tutors is, in the first instance, a matter for the HSE and the Department of Health, as the employer. I am aware there is a skills shortage in this area and will continue to actively...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (3 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Expanding the number of places available on Health and Social Care Profession (HSCP) programmes, including radiation therapy, is a priority for my Department. Currently there is one undergraduate programme in Trinity College Dublin, and a post graduate programme in University College Cork. Both Universities have met with officials in my Department and the Department of Health and the HSCP...

Financial Resolutions 2024 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (2 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on budget 2025. This budget reflects the Government's commitment to support the success of all learners, to drive improvements in the overall performance of the tertiary education system, and to provide continuous support for world-class research and innovation in Ireland. It includes €4.545 billion for my Department,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Hospital Facilities (2 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy will be aware that over the last number of years, SETU have been working closely with Wexford County Council (WCC) to help identify an appropriate site for a permanent home for their Wexford Campus. As part of this engagement, a preferred site was identified. Following a lengthy negotiation process between WCC and the Vendor, agreement could not be reached on price. WCC have since...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (1 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department has previously been advised by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) that, for security reasons, not to disclose details of its cyber security operations (including details of commercial relationships, audits/exercises and expenditure) which could in any way compromise the Department’s information security posture. In particular, it is not considered appropriate to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (1 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 561 and 562 together. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous institutions responsible for their own academic affairs including the curriculum and student numbers on individual courses. 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 factors...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme (AIS) was a measure implemented to assist apprentices due to the particular challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Similar to other Covid-19 measures, the AIS has ceased. Under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021 to 2025, all employers of apprentices receive financial support either through the direct payment of training allowances to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (1 Oct 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The resourcing and funding of the diploma in special education is a matter for the Department of Education and as such my Department does not have any remit over same. The 2018 Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE)recommended the provision of a national online training programme. Arising from that recommendation the...