Results 161-180 of 9,744 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan

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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (19 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy may be aware Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous under the relevant legislation and neither I or my Department have a role in the management of their academic or administrative affairs. If your constituent has not done so already I would suggest they contact the HEI directly in relation to this matter. If this does not resolve the matter, I would encourage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (18 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: A pilot part time fee grant scheme will be introduced effective from September 2024 for eligible part-time students attending specified undergraduate courses leading to a major award. This is an important new initiative which will open the doors of higher education to many groups who cannot participate in full time programmes. The parameters of the scheme are currently being finalised and I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (18 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Awaiting reply from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy is likely aware, in February this year, an agreement was reached with Queen's University Belfast, for the funding of twenty five additional medical places for qualifying students from Ireland or Northern Ireland in Queen's commencing from September 2024. These places will be co-funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: This Parliamentary Question falls under the remit of the Department of Health. My officials have been in contact with that department and they have confirmed that they will provide a response should the deputy contact them directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: European Court of Justice (18 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department has not been issued with any fines by the Court of Justice of the European Union since its formation in 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (18 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I, together with Minister O’Brien brought an updated memo for information to Government in May. This memo noted their intention to expedite a legal change to examine the duration of student accommodation contracts to reflect the academic year accommodation requirements, traditionally September to May annually, unless a student initiates a request for an extended 51 week contract. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (13 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: In April of this year, an Taoiseach and I announced €100m in additional capital under the National Development Plan that will support delivery of over 1,000 new and additional student beds, with delivery commencing in the 2025/2026 academic year. This allocation enables the activation of Phase 1 of UCD’s stalled student accommodation project for delivery of 493 student beds...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (13 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The first National Student Accommodation Strategy was launched in July 2017. It runs until 2024, with a target of 21,000 additional Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) beds to be delivered. Achievement of this target has been impacted by subsequent events including Brexit, Covid-19 and the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Housing for All was launched in September 2021 which called for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Meetings (12 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Since June 2020, there have been 19 formal and 15 informal Council of the European Union meetings based on the EYCS (Education) and Compet (Research) formations. Of these, 7 were held virtually and 27 held in person. Minister Harris attended 7; Minister of State Niall Collins attended 4; and ambassadors represented the Government on 9 occasions. The EYCS (Education) Council is shared...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Flexible Work Practices (12 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The majority of staff in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science are availing of remote working since 2020. The Department's Blended Working Policy was introduced at the end of 2023 and allows staff members to make applications to work remotely for up to 3 days per week. We are now accepting applications from staff members to formalise their blended...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: How much did you get?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (11 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: One choice has been ruled out anyway.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (11 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 888, 889 and 891 together. The Student Grant Scheme is a demand led scheme and as such the number of students who are eligible for grants varies from year to year. As of 4th June 2024, there are over 47,000 students in receipt of a maintenance grant at PLC, Postgraduate and Undergraduate level, if the same number of students were eligible for a grant in...