Results 1,181-1,200 of 10,778 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I am very concerned by the desperate situation of civilians in Gaza. This remains a central priority for the Government, including at EU level, where Ireland is consistently calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Horizon Europe is the European Union’s leading research and innovation programme and encompasses all European Member States as well as 18 Associated Countries...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Higher Education Authority ran a process to identify options to expand higher education provision in a number of priority skills areas, including Veterinary Medicine. Proposals were put forward by a range of higher education institutions under this process. The options identified have the potential to significantly increase the numbers of students who would be able to take up places on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Wellbeing and student mental health are priorities for my Department. In terms of providing supports and funding to the higher education sector for mental health services, higher education institutions (HEIs) receive funding from a variety of sources that contribute to the expenditure associated with the full range of institutional activities. This includes recurrent funding allocated by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: In Cork Education and Training Board, apprenticeship funding rose from €17.1m in 2023 to €17.9m in 2024. Two workshops, one electrical and one plumbing were completed in 2023 following an investment of €1,000,000. Cork Education and Training Board is increasing its craft apprenticeship provision from 440 training places in 2022 to over 600 training places in 2024 across...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The tertiary education and research system supports learners to achieve internationally recognised qualifications which prepare graduates for careers and further learning, both in Ireland and internationally. The outcomes of higher education graduates, including outcomes relating to international mobility, are tracked through a number of sources. The Higher Education Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I wish to advise the Deputy that policy and regulatory questions relating to the Professional Masters in Education, and the teaching profession more generally, are a matter for the Department of Education and my colleague Minister Foley. However, the Deputy will be aware that my Department does support access to Initial Teacher Education (ITE) for targeted priority groups under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: 462 permanent additional places in healthcare disciplines were introduced in September 2023 in Irish higher education institutions. In addition, last September saw an innovative cross border collaboration with the Government funding of 80 additional health and social care places in Ulster University. There is ongoing engagement with my Department and the Department of Health, HSE and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I am committed to engaging with all Departments and agencies to ensure our Tertiary Education Sector rises to meet the demands of our public sector workforce requirements. Particular focus has been paid to skills challenges across health and social care services. This work is being undertaken in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Apprenticeship scheduling is carried out on a national basis by the coordinating provider. As far as possible, apprentices are scheduled to the nearest available training location relative to their home location on the day of scheduling. If a placement is not available near an apprentices home location, they may be called to the next nearest available location. Apprentices are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department's Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 aims to promote apprenticeship as a route to valuable qualifications and high-quality jobs and careers. My priority is to make apprenticeships attractive for even more young people, given our skills and workforce needs under priority Government strategies. As part of this, the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) is continuing to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Funding (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 522 and 523 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Information (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department does not have any staff who are specifically assigned to processing of freedom of information requests. It has a Memorandum of Understanding in place and operates on a shared services basis with the Department of Education in this regard. The information in respect of aegis bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Apprenticeship scheduling is carried out on a national basis by the coordinating provider and all efforts are made to schedule apprentices to their nearest available training location. If this is not possible, they will be called to the next nearest available location. All apprentices are advised at their mandatory Apprenticeship Induction briefings of the apprenticeship scheduling...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 527, 528, 533 and 534 together. It is a top priority of my Department to remove barriers to third level education. Since the establishment of my Department in June 2020, there has been significant progress in enhancing both quality and access in the tertiary education system. As the Deputy is aware, a substantial amount of additionality has been introduced...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: One of my goals as Minister is to ensure that potential learners have access to the educational pathways that allow them reach their potential in a way that meets the very broad and rapidly changing needs of our labour force, the economy and society. It is therefore my objective to ensure that there is access into either further or higher education for each person who wishes to pursue...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Against the backdrop of the accelerating and intensifying changes in the world brought about by digital and green transitions taking place globally, it is essential more than ever that our skills ecosystem has the agility and flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and the skills needs of the labour market and society. In this context, one of the key themes of the OECD Review of Ireland's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: This Government has made significant investment to grow the apprenticeship system. Budget 2024 provides €67m for investment into apprenticeship. In total, €300m has been provided for apprenticeship in 2024. The funding will support skills development in vital areas, especially in construction skills, and support delivery of Government commitments in Housing for All, Action...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Educational Institutions (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy will be aware that there are a number of Programme for Government (PfG) commitments aimed at addressing bullying, including a commitment to commission surveys of staff and students in the areas of harassment, sexual harassment, and bullying in higher education. These surveys have now taken place and the findings published. Our higher education institutions have a duty of care...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, Technological Universities Act 2018, and Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 -2006. Under this legislation HEIs are academically independent and entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes including the number and type of programmes offered. As such, neither I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (20 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is one of the pathways to study undergraduate medicine. Graduate entry courses require applicants to hold a level 8 qualification prior to entry with the graduate entry medicine degree conferring a further level 8 qualification on the recipient. As the Deputy will be aware, the free fees initiative (FFI) provides tuition fee funding for eligible first time...