Results 821-840 of 6,340 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (6 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I thank the Deputy for this question. In March 2024, SIPTU and TUI, the unions representing tutors, agreed to a proposal to formally establish a new grade of adult educator with a standardised pay scale aligned with the Youthreach Resource Person grade. This scale has 13 points and two Long Service Increments. This proposal allows for incremental progression and a career path for tutors...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (6 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: In response to rising demand for apprenticeships from employers and learners, my Department secured a significant investment of €77.4 million for the apprenticeship system in Budget 2025. This represents the single largest investment in core apprenticeship funding since the formation of my department in 2020. There are now over 8,000 craft training places in Education and Training...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (6 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The higher education tuition fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety of factors including the type of course and the student's access route. The assessment of a student’s application and the determination of the appropriate fee rate is a function of the institution attended. There are typically two rates of fee, an EU Rate or a non-EU fee rate. Higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (6 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The following are to be brought forward and signed by my Department during the first six months of 2025 but do not relate to transposition to EU Law:Student Grant Scheme 2025Student Support Regulations 2025Student Part-Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses 2025Student Part-Time Fee Regulations for Specified Undergraduate Courses 2025 The Research and Innovation Act 2024 was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (6 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Student Grant Scheme and the Student Part-Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses are statutory based schemes administered by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). To qualify for student supports under the scheme, students must be attending an ‘approved course’ at an ‘approved institution’. The definition of an approved institution is set...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (6 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: My Department is committed to supporting the talent needs of the Irish SME sector. Skillnet Ireland established the MentorsWork scheme in 2020, in partnership with the Small Firms Association. MentorsWork connects SME owners and managers throughout Ireland with experienced mentors, helping them navigate business challenges such as strategic planning, financial management, digital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (6 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: My Department has disbursed almost €140m in capital funding to the Technological University Sector since 2023 under a number of capital programmes including the Higher Education Strategic and Infrastructural Fund (HESIF), the Infrastructure and Refurbishment Fund (IURF), the Energy Efficiency Decarbonisation Pathway Programme (EEDPP), the Devolved Capital Grant, the Apprenticeship...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (6 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Youthreach is designed to offer second-chance education to young people who are aged 16 to 20 and have either left school early or are at risk of not completing their formal education. It is designed to provide a more flexible, supportive, and alternative learning environment compared to post-primary schools, helping participants to gain qualifications and skills that will support their...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (5 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: It is good to see the Acting Chair, Senator Rabbitte, back in office. This is the first opportunity I have had to engage with Senator Lynch. I congratulate her on her election. I look forward to working with her and other Members of the Upper House on many matters, particularly those relating to my brief. I thank Senator Lynch for raising this important issue. As I know she is very...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (5 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I thank the Senator for the invite. I may well take her up on that at some stage when I am next in the area. I visited Cork ETB last Friday and discussed a range of areas, including plans at Carrigaline and other places where it has ambition. I share and support its ambitions, no less so in Macroom. There are some steps to go through as regards the proposed site, namely, value for money,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (5 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I wish to thank the Deputy for her question. The matter raised by the Deputy relates to an individual who worked for a number of years under several short-term contracts with the Higher Education Institution (HEI) in question, before moving to a Contract of Indefinite Duration in 2017. A divergence of opinion appears to have arisen thereafter as to whether the role was classified as an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (5 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Deputy may be aware that the institution to which she refers is not funded by my Department. It does however, receive some targeted funding from the Department of Education. Budget 2025 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost of education. These measures include a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students that are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Bodies (5 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I would like to thank Deputy Geoghegan for his question. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) receives funding for a number of programmes from the National Training Fund (NTF). Funding provided for the last three years is as follows: HEA NTF Funded Programmes 2022 Out-turn 2023 Out-turn 2024 Out-turn €000 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Inniúlacht sa Ghaeilge sa Státseirbhís (5 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Líon na foirne reatha i mo Roinn ná 301. Tacaíonn an Roinn lena foireann chun a gcuid scileanna Gaeilge a fhorbairt trí rannpháirtíocht sa Ghaeilge Ghairmiúil a spreagadh trí Ghaelchultur, a chuireann oiliúint ar fáil don tseirbhís phoiblí. Maoiníonn an Roinn oiliúint na foirne trína haonad Foghlama agus Forbartha....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (5 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Rathmines College of Further Education (under City of Dublin ETB) is located within Rathmines Town Hall. Rathmines College of Further Education enrols over 700 full time daytime students and approximately 600 part-time and evening students each year. My Department understands that City of Dublin ETB is currently undertaking a conservation study of Rathmines Town Hall, which it leases from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (5 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: My Department is committed to supporting students regarding the cost of education, and has introduced measures to assist with the financial burden on students. These measures include a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students that are eligible for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI). This reduction followed on from similar once off student contribution...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (5 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Budget 2025 included a package of measures to support households with the cost of education. These measures include a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students that are eligible for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI). This reduction followed on from similar once off student contribution reductions in Budgets 2023 and 2024 for free fees eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (5 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The main form of financial assistance available to higher education students is the Student Grant Scheme administered by SUSI. Online and Distance Learning Courses, do not qualify for grant assistance under the Student Grant Scheme. My Department does however recognise the need to offer support for more flexible forms of learning and last year, for the first time, a new Part-Time Fee...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Programme (5 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: My Department will be transposing two pieces of EU legislation into Irish law. Neither of these will be referred to an Oireachtas Committee.Directive (EU) 2024/505 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 February 2024 amending Directive 2005/36/EC as regards the recognition of professional qualifications of nurses responsible for general care trained in Romania [due March...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (4 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: You want the veto.