Results 121-140 of 7,021 for speaker:James Lawless

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...

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

James Lawless: My Department is driving forward the development of apprenticeships, with a particular focus on the construction sector. Through the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021–2025 and its successor, the Apprenticeship Action Plan 2026–2030, currently in development, we are shaping a strategic vision for the future of apprenticeship in Ireland. This is complemented by the Careers in...

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

James Lawless: My Department is driving forward the development of apprenticeships, with a particular focus on the construction sector. Through the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021–2025 and its successor, the Apprenticeship Action Plan 2026–2030, currently in development, we are shaping a strategic vision for the future of apprenticeship in Ireland. This is complemented by the Careers in...

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

James Lawless: It is my priority that apprenticeship will be recognised and valued by employers across all sectors of the economy as a key mechanism for building a highly skilled workforce, contributing to productivity and sustainable growth. As part of this, plans are also in place to increase apprenticeship opportunities in the public and civil services. Currently, there are over 530 apprentices in the...

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

James Lawless: In general, for student grant purposes students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on their parent(s) or legal guardian(s), or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent student ifthey have attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry or re-entry to an approved further education course...

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

James Lawless: The Further Education and Training system is central to the delivery of skills across the country, contributing significantly to national competitiveness and supporting inclusion. The Further Education and Training Act 2013 requires SOLAS to prepare a strategy in relation to the provision of further education and training and to submit it to my Department for my consideration and...

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: Student Accommodation (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The Residential Tenancies Board is a quasi-judicial, independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2025 that operates the national tenancy registration system and facilitates the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. This includes specific student accommodation. I can confirm that officials from my Department have engaged with the Residential...

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

James Lawless: SOLAS continue to support Kerry ETB (KETB) in the development of its Preliminary Business Case (PBC) proposal for Killarney under the FET College of the Future Major Projects fund. The proposal is one of twelve projects that are currently being progressed under this fund. The proposal put forward by KETB under the FET College of the Future Major Projects fund aims to transform FET...