Results 821-840 of 10,964 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

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

Patrick O'Donovan: Staff of my Department are accommodated in premises in St.Stephen's Green. They are also in Marlborough Street and Tullamore on a shared basis with other Departments and Offices. The full address and Eircode can be found below: Address Eircode 52 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 D02 DR67 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1 D01 RC96 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Official Travel (22 Jan 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: The details sought by the Deputy are as follows: Year Minister & Accompanying official Purpose/visit Flights Hotel Transfers and other Miscellaneous costs 2023 Saint Patrick's Day visit San Francisco/Vancouver March 2023 Minister Harris San...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (22 Jan 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy may be aware, the objective of the statutory based student grant scheme is to provide additional assistance where parental income is below a certain threshold or, in the case of independent mature students, where the level of income of the student and his or her spouse warrants additional assistance by way of a grant. For student grants purposes, students are categorised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (22 Jan 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: In October 2022, an independent and comprehensive National Review of State Supports for PhD Researchers was announced; the first time that this issue has been considered holistically in this manner. The first report of the Co-Chairs, Dr Andrea Johnson and Mr David Cagney, was published in summer 2023. In it they recommended an increase towards an optimum PhD stipend level of €25,000,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (22 Jan 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: A new Student Accommodation Strategy is in development following Government approval of the long-term Policy in January 2024. The Strategy aims to increase supply of state supported student accommodation, reduce the cost of delivery through development of standardised design guidance, promote efficient use of existing building stock through refurbishment and an examination of vacancy, while...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (22 Jan 2025)

Patrick O'Donovan: Apprentices are primarily employees and all 77 apprenticeship programmes currently available are undertaken under a contract of employment. For the majority of apprenticeships, the rate of pay is agreed between the apprentice and the employer, with the employer paying the apprentice during both on-the-job and off-the-job training elements. The Government is seeking to boost the...

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...