Results 761-780 of 11,777 for speaker:Niall Collins

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (5 Dec 2023)

Niall Collins: I propose to take Questions Nos. 624, 625, 626 and 627 together. Community Training Centres (CTCs) are non-profit making companies with Boards that are broadly representative of the community. Since 1977, CTCs have been involved in innovative training for marginalised groups and since the introduction of the Youthreach programme in 1989, their focus has been on Early School Leavers. Funded...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: I thank the Chair and Deputies for the opportunity to speak to them this morning and for the committee’s consideration of the 2023 Supplementary Estimate for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. I am accompanied by officials from my Department. They are Paul Lemass, assistant secretary; Valerie Considine, principal officer; and John...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: That is a very pertinent question. It is something that we provided in 2022 and 2023. We have been clear, when we have been providing for it last year and this year, that it is on a one-off basis. There is no doubt but that we live in a world where pressures are expressed to us, as public representatives, and we have to try to seek to address them. I cannot give a commitment here and now,...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: We can give the committee an exact figure in relation to that. There have been about 8,000 registrations this year and we have an apprenticeship population heading towards 20,000 apprentices across all our programmes in apprenticeship training. We estimate that the one-off 33% reduction in the contribution fee will benefit around 11,000 apprentices.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: On the Acting Chair's point about the attendance of Minister, Deputy Harris, there is a Cabinet meeting today. The Cabinet meets most Tuesdays, as she is probably aware. I just wanted to flag that with her. She mentioned the figure of €61 million and €56 million of that funding is to address the university pension shortfall. The forecast is that that shortfall will be...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: Yes.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: We can give the committee a note on that which will reconcile all of the figures in the briefing note, if that is of assistance.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: There is that as well, because pensioners avail of that.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: I am advised that the €0.5 million figure is net of all movements across the different subheads. We can provide the committee with a grid to reconcile all of those numbers.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: The €61 million relates to the closed pension schemes in the university sector. It is a legacy issue that is being dealt with.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: First of all, we built additional moneys into the base within the Department. The Acting Chair will be aware of that in the context of apprenticeships and, as I said earlier, future funding and closing the identified gap there of €307 million. We have closed that gap by €100 million over a two-year time span. As in any Department, there are competing asks and demands. The...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: The Acting Chair clearly understands that.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: Supplementary Estimates only deal with the here and now in-year-----

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: The best answer I can give the Acting Chair is this would be of a commitment of resources and a permanent change in approach. It is something everybody probably wants to see, but it is being funded in the last number of years and in the here and now as a temporary measure. We have to get ourselves into a position where resources will allow for a permanent reduction and phasing out of...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: I cannot say here and now. I do not think anybody can say here and now. It is something that would have to be considered as part of the budgetary process. That process is internal within a Department. Sections within each Department compete for available resources. The Department and the Minister and Ministers of State sit down with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: At the end of October there were 5,514 apprentices who had been waiting more than six months to access their off-the-job training. Some 5,319 were at phase 2 and the remainder were at phases 4 or 6. Through budget 2024 there has been an additional €67 million allocated to the whole area of apprenticeships. It is our target, as the Acting Chair knows and has heard us say before, to...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: Yes, absolutely.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: I will give a little bit of further context. Our core funding for the apprenticeship space has increased from a number of €172 million in 2021 to over €254 million in the year 2024. That is a 47.5% increase when those years are compared, so significant money is going into this.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: The Acting Chair's points about addressing the backlog are well made. It is not abating. As a result, we set up an emergency group that consisted of SOLAS, the National Apprenticeship Office and representatives of our education and training boards and of course staff organisations. It is chaired by the Department. The group is working to ensure the delivery of the required additional...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Niall Collins: We do. The resources are being made available to it. It is about providing the capacity. Capacity takes a while to build no matter what you are doing. I think the Acting Chair will appreciate that. Once the capacity is there, the resources are there to deal with it. It is our intention to have it addressed comprehensively.