Results 1,661-1,680 of 5,104 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Public Service Performance Report 2022: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: That is good, I thank Mr. Mac Fhlannchadha. Did Mr. O'Leary want to bring someone else in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Public Service Performance Report 2022: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: No, sorry. I am asking about the craft apprenticeships.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Public Service Performance Report 2022: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I was not really asking about it in that context; I just meant in general. I take the point in respect of specific student accommodation and that is fine. Having to pay €12,000 in rent is crazy stuff, however. I am aware there have been funding increases and so on. At the same time, I have visited different student accommodations that are extremely high end. There can be a balance....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: 89. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is ensuring that the National Maritime College of Ireland has the required level of funding to continue providing the essential training in green technology and skills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45697/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I was down at the National Maritime College of Ireland, NMCI, which is a fantastic facility. If we are looking to create jobs for the future and the green agenda, the NMCI has so much potential. It is already delivering a great deal but it needs investment. It has always been ahead of the game compared to other colleges around Europe but we must ensure that it has investment. The amount...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: That is interesting. What additionality does that new teaching block entail? I would be interested to hear about that. I am from Galway, and anytime I am in Derry I always think they are very similar cities. The benefit a strong university town can have for everybody across the city is really powerful. I therefore welcome this funding and the expansion in the form of the new teaching...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I was recently at Queen's, where I myself studied for a period. I was with our spokesperson on further and higher education, Pádraig Delargy, and we met with Queen's management and students. We met many students as part of the freshers' fair as well. Another group we met with that I thought was very interesting was the secondary students' union. It really wanted to highlight the fact...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: 86. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to the announcement of the significant funding that Magee University would receive from the shared island initiative to expand its capacity, if he will provide details of the nature of the arrangement; the way it will work in practice; the benefits it will bring in terms of workforce planning; and if he will make a statement on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: In recent weeks I have met students in the North. I ask the Minister to provide more detail, as per the question.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Research and Training (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I thank the Minister. I am not harassing the poor souls who write responses to parliamentary questions but I am a little bit confused. I submitted a parliamentary question on this issue because I am confused about the current approach. The response to a parliamentary question I received from the Department stated: "The State contribution was €11,950 per student with the balance...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Research and Training (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: That confuses me in a different kind of way. I am not suggesting that the Minister is not outlining the facts but if the money coming from Government for fees is increasing, surely there should be some kind of conditionality that the fees charged to students decrease. It is my understanding that the fees will increase again next year. That is what students have told me. The reality is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Research and Training (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: With my questioning. I thank the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: 78. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current number of apprentices waiting for off-the-job training at levels 2, 4 and 6 in addition to the numbers waiting for such training in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45695/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I have put this parliamentary question in since the start of September and have not got the kind of response I was looking for. It relates to the number of apprentices waiting for off-the-job training at levels 2, 4 and 6. I have sought a tabular breakdown, which I obviously will not get in oral questions. Will the Minister of State clarify why I cannot get that as a response at all?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I still do not understand why I could not get the response in writing at the start of September. I have never seen it happen before that I have not been able to get a response when I have continuously asked the exact same question and the exact same response was given. It really annoyed me. The Ministers have taken their eye off the ball. The response I got after much pestering was that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I look forward to reading it in detail. Obviously, the Minister of State will not say to me on the floor of the Dáil that he took his eye off the ball. I am aware he will not do that and that he is trying to fix the issue, but how did we get to this point where he is saying the number was more than 8,000 at the end of September? The response I got was from the start of September....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Research and Training (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: 80. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on his efforts to increase the number of graduate entry medicine places; the reason he has not tried to reduce fees as a means to attract more applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45694/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Research and Training (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I would be interested to hear an update on the efforts to increase the number of graduate entry medicine places. Maybe it is my age but more people I know are going into graduate entry medicine than before. What are the efforts to increase the number of such places and the reasons for not reducing the fees to attract more applicants and from more diverse backgrounds?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: Will the Minister say when the strategy will be published? Despite being in this role for only a few months, from going around the different universities and speaking to them I think the issue of affordability stems both from the housing crisis and from the issue whereby we are seeing really high-spec accommodation people would never be able to afford. Even if you were working full time,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (19 Oct 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: 76. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there was such an absence of measures related to purpose-built student accommodation in budget 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45692/23]