Results 701-720 of 10,490 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cross-Border Co-operation (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The North South Research Programme (NSRP) is funded by the Government’s Shared Island initiative and delivered by the HEA on behalf of Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. In July 2021, funding of €40 million was allocated to the North South Research Programme and a further €10 million was announced by the Department of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cross-Border Co-operation (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The location for the proposed building is significant from an heritage perspective, and as such, UU has engaged extensively in a pre-planning process with Derry-Strabane District Council. My officials understand that this process is ongoing, and is likely to lead to the submission of a full planning application to Derry-Strabane District Council in late Q4, 2024 or early Q1, 2025. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cross-Border Co-operation (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: In 2023, the Co-Centres Programme was established to take forward an Irish Government commitment in the Programme for Government and under the New Decade, New Approach Agreement to establish all-island research and innovation hubs, working with partners in Northern Ireland and at UK. The Co-Centres Programme is jointly funded up to €70 million by Research Ireland (formerly Science...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Bodies (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, the guiding legislation governing the process for managing each recognition of professional qualification is S.I. No 8 of 2017. SOLAS operates in full compliance with the applicable S.I. SOLAS is required to reply within one month on receipt of an application and subsequently, provide a decision to each applicant within three months,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy is aware, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The tables below provide details of political appointments, ministerial drivers and staff seconded to work within my Department’s Private Office and Constituency Office by the Minister of the day and Minister of State from 2020 to date in 2024. Parliamentary Assistants and Secretarial Assistants appointed by Ministers and Ministers of State are paid by the Houses of the Oireachtas...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Staff (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The tables below provide a list of the names of each special adviser employed by my Department since 2020. All special advisers were appointed to the Minister of the day and their salaries are all on the Principal Officer pay scale, in line with DPENDR gudelines. All special advisers assist the Minister with both policy and press matters. Minister Harris from 2020 – 08thApril 2024 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Staff (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The table below provides details of the expenses paid to Ministerial advisers in my Department from January 2020 to September 6th 2024. Minister Harris was in place from January 2020 – 08thApril 2024. Minister O’Donovan is in place from 09thApril 2024 to date. Name 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Joanne Lonergan Nil Nil N/A* N/A N/A Sarah Bardon Nil ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2025 (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy will be aware that the Government made provision to reduce the student contribution payable by each ‘free fees’ eligible student by €1,000 in academic years 2022/23 and 2023/24. Those reductions in Budgets 2023 and 2024, formed part of a wider cost of living package. As I look ahead to Budget 2025, I am conscious of the need for the progressive implementation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Regional Development (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The National Skills Strategy to 2025 (NSS) provides a framework for skills development to help drive Ireland’s growth, both economically and societally. One of the key elements of the NSS was the development of a new skills architecture, composed of a National Skills Council and nine Regional Skills Fora. It is important to note that the core function of the Regional Skills Fora is to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The information requested by the Deputy on the number of students from this State studying at further and higher education level in Britain is not available within my Department. Regarding the financial supports available for such students to meet fees and maintenance costs, the Student Grant Scheme provides maintenance grants to eligible undergraduate students pursuing approved courses in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I am conscious of the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address cost as a barrier to attending higher education. In advance of Budget 2025, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to reduce the cost of attending higher education for students. I will have regard to these options when making proposals regarding student supports in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: In relation to the specific query raised by the Deputy, the guiding legislation governing the process for managing each recognition of professional qualification is S.I. No 8 of 2017. SOLAS operates in full compliance with the applicable S.I. SOLAS is required to reply within one month on receipt of an application and subsequently, provide a decision to each applicant within three months,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Due to apprenticeship courses being national programmes, it is possible for an individual in county Tipperary to do any of the apprenticeship programmes at any given time. Apprentices are registered at the Education and Training Board (ETB) in the region in which their employer is based, not where the apprentice lives. In addition, this does not reflect where off-the-job training is carried...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy will be aware, the Higher Education Authority conducted an Expressions of Interest to identify options for substantial expansions across Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine. There are significant capital costs involved in progressing these options and it is important the scale of the costs is fully understood and planned for. The options identified...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Bodies (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The members of the Board of Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland were appointed through the Public Appointments Service led process for State Board positions. The members are listed below, along with brief biographical descriptions. Michael Horgan- Chairperson Dr Eoin O’Sullivan Anne Vaughan Professor Niamh Moloney Professor Valeria Nicolosi Dr. Godfrey Gaston Professor...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Bodies (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The total level of funding provided by Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland will be the combined existing funding previously awarded by Science Foundation Ireland and the Irish Research Council. A detailed breakdown of this funding is set out in the tables at the links below. The budget awarded to the agency for 2025 will be agreed through the estimates process with the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1999 and 2000 together. The availability and cost of accommodation is a challenge for many students especially at this time of year. Last week I updated my government colleagues on the progression of policies designed to alleviate these challenges. A capital investment of €100m from the National Development Plan windfall allocation enabled the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The availability and cost of accommodation is a challenge for many students in realising their ambitions for higher education. I provided an update to Government last week on the progression of policies designed to alleviate these challenges. Under the Student Grant Scheme, ‘holiday earnings’ is income that a student has earned outside of term time in the previous tax year and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (9 Sep 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) scheme is operated by the Irish Universities Association, on behalf of the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). My Department has no remit for this scheme. Under HEAR each institution determines its own admissions policy, the number of places to be reserved, the allocation of those places, and the review and appeals processes. Applications to the...