Results 61-80 of 6,969 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capital Expenditure Programme (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: I am pleased to update the Deputy that 12 major capital projects are currently being progressed by my department under the Further Education & Training (FET) College of the Future Major Projects Fund. This key capital investment programme was launched with the objective of addressing deficits in current FET infrastructure. These projects will support the reform of the FET sector...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: My Department recognises the critical importance of promoting and expanding the teaching and use of Irish at third level. The Higher Education Act (2022) places an obligation on the HEA to support HEIs to teach, promote and use the language. To that end, my department supports higher education institutions, via the HEA, through the provision of core funding, and specific funding to support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: My Department remains committed to the continuation of the George Mitchell Scholarship Programme. In March 2024, the US-Ireland Alliance paused the recruitment of US scholars onto the programme. In March 2025, this pause in recruitment into the programme was extended for a further year. My Department was advised by the President of the US-Ireland Alliance that the Alliance had...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: I recognise that access to accurate, accessible, and impartial career guidance is critical to supporting learners as they plan their education and career pathways. In addition, it should be noted that career guidance counselling at second level is also key, and this is under the remit of my colleague, Minister McEntee. Building on the findings of the Indecon Review of Career Guidance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Artificial Intelligence (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: My Department has actively invested to enhance research activities in the area of artificial intelligence. Recently, following an international competitive process, an Irish AI Antenna factory has been awarded €5 million in European funding, a figure that will be evenly matched by my department’s funding. The AI Factory Antenna will link directly to leading AI hubs in France...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2026 (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Thank you, Deputy, for this important question. My Department and I are committed to improving the lives of people with disabilities in line with the Programme for Government. The Fund for Students with Disabilities has been a key initiative to provide students with disabilities with the necessary support and equipment to participate in Post-Leaving Certificate courses on an equal basis...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Supporting the participation and success of learners with disabilities is a key priority of mine, my Department and for Government. Good progress is being made as part of the National Access Plan (NAP) to increase new entrants to higher education institutions with a disability. The latest figures available to the Department show this figure has increased to 14.7% for the 2023/2024...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) is a very important element of the range of supports and interventions in place to support students and their families. The core funding allocation for this vital Fund continues to be monitored, with respect to demand. Alongside the support provided through the SAF, I have made a range of other targeted improvements to schemes which assist students and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: My officials and I are working closely with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to realise our collective ambition for the delivery of Higher Education across the country. Rather than operating from an institution-specific annual distribution, capital projects across the Higher Education sector are identified through competitive programmes and processes, with successful projects progressing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: I am acutely conscious of the challenges facing students including difficulties with the cost of living and the cost and availability of student accommodation. Inclusion is a priority for the Government and my Department. This year, through Budget 2026, I have delivered on that priority:Non-Adjacent Grants are upThe highest threshold for SUSI is upSupports are up andStudent fees are down...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gender Balance (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The Programme for Government 2025 – Securing Ireland’s Future commits to advancing STEM education, digital skills, and inclusion, with a strong focus on increasing girls’ participation in coding, maths, and ICT. My Department, in collaboration with the Department of Education and Youth, is implementing several key initiatives to improve gender balance in STEM at second...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Jointly published by my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, the Public Service Apprenticeship Plan is a central pillar of our Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025. It lays out a clear and ambitious roadmap to grow apprenticeship opportunities across the public service, aiming for 750 annual registrations by 2025. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Adult Education Provision (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Earlier this year, my Department issued permission to Cork ETB to enter negotiations with a prospective landlord in respect of a facility for Macroom Youthreach. A due diligence process must be completed, which considers value for money, assessment of needs, climate targets and any procurement issues before sanction can be sought for a lease. Cork ETB are engaging very closely with SOLAS on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The primary mode of engagement with social partners on apprenticeship matters is the Labour Employer Economic Forum Subgroup on Apprenticeships which I chair. Its purpose is to examine and discuss issues relating to further strengthening and delivering on the reform and expansion of Ireland’s national apprenticeship system to meet priority workforce and skills needs. Both IBEC and ICTU...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The National Student Accommodation Strategy (NSAS) 2017–2024 aimed to meet rising student housing demand and ease pressure on the private rental market. Two key goals demonstrate its progress: The first goal was to deliver 7,000 new PBSA beds by 2019, aligned with Rebuilding Ireland. This was exceeded, with over 8,000 beds completed by the end of that year. The second goal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Equality Issues (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Inclusion is a core goal of my Department, ensuring equal access to learning and research opportunities. The Government’s STEM Education Policy Statement (2017) aims for a 40% increase in female participation in STEM subjects at Leaving Certificate level to strengthen representation at third level. Research Ireland promotes equality through its External Equality, Diversity, and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the new Dentistry programme in Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) commenced intake of 20 students in September this year. This new Bachelor of Dental Surgery will train students in a community-based model of dental education, significantly increasing the number of dentistry training places available nationally and expanding access to dentistry...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The Human Capital Initiative (HCI) represents a ring-fenced €300 million investment from the National Training Fund into our higher education sector over the period 2020 to 2024. The initiative has been highly successful in increasing capacity in areas of key skills need and in enhancing innovation and agility within higher education institutions. While the HCI programme has now...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: I am committed to the apprenticeship model of learning. It is a proven pathway to a valued qualification and to employment. Since 2019 the total apprentice population has grown from 17,829 to 29,772 as of the end of last year. This has been matched by an increase in investment from €142m in 2019 to the over €400m earmarked for apprenticeship in 2026. Since 2016, indeed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: I recognise that third level education can be a significant cost for families and students. Introduced in the 2023/24 academic year, the €500 Student Contribution Grant has had a significant impact, with over 18,000 students receiving the grant in the 2024/2025 academic year. These are students who previously would never have qualified for any form of grant support. In Budget...