Results 1-20 of 6,386 for speaker:James Lawless

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I thank Deputy McDonald. She has been in the House longer than I have, but she will understand that the budgetary process takes place in October, not June, July or August.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The budgetary process is under way. I am fighting within the resources available for students and their families for the best possible outcome across the board in all of the measures the Minister, Deputy Chambers, outlined, including SUSI grants, fee thresholds and the student contribution fee, along with the cost of accommodation-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: No figure has ever been produced ahead of the budget in any area of Government spending, and that will not change this year no more than any other year. That has always been the position.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I am pleased to assure the Deputy that first-year learners enrolled in the Traineeship in Visual Effects, Video and Animation Post-Production (VFA) at City of Dublin FET College Ballyfermot Road will progress to the second year of their programme in September 2025. City of Dublin ETB has advised my officials that a communication was issued in error to first year learners on the Traineeship...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Firstly, I want to acknowledge the vital role that External Authenticators (EAs) play in ensuring the integrity and fairness of assessments in the Further Education and Training (FET) sector. I am pleased to advise that my Department secured an increase in the daily rate for EAs as part of Budget 2025. With effect from 1 January 2025, the daily rate for EAs increased from €250 to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: In general, for student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if they have attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Funding (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The Higher Education R&D (HERD) Survey examines expenditure on research and development activities within the higher education sector, comprising publicly funded higher education institutions (HEIs) in Ireland. The HERD Survey is completed on a biennial basis. The most recent published detailed analysis relates to 2022-2023 and is available on the Department’s website at:...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Funding (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: There is a comprehensive and ambitious set of commitments for research and innovation in the Programme for Government. This work will be progressed via a number of national policies and strategies, primarily under the national research and innovation strategy Impact 2030, including the commitment to create additional research fellowships to strengthen Ireland's appeal to top-tier academic and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025, published in April 2021, aims to deliver an apprenticeship system that is flexible and responsive, providing a strong value proposition for employers and potential apprentices, embedding apprenticeship as a preferred route to skills development. Government has demonstrated a strong and sustained commitment to apprenticeships. Since the formation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Springboard+, established in 2011, continues to play a vital role in expanding access to higher education by offering flexible, work-focused learning opportunities to adult learners across the country. Aligned with national skills priorities, Springboard+ supports individuals to upskill or reskill in high-demand areas such as ICT, construction, cybersecurity, and green skills. The programme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The HEA Act 2022 provides for the designation of additional institutions by ministerial order, however the provisions enabling this process have not yet been commenced. Work is underway to develop the designation by order process, including initial consideration of the conditions under which designation might occur. This is a complex process and will involve liaison with the HEA, QQI and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: At present Marino Institute of Education (MIE) is not a 'designated institution of higher education' as prescribed by the Higher Education Authority Act 2022. MIE receives funding from a mix of sources including government grants, student fees, and internal funding schemes. When the Higher Education Authority Act 2022 was commenced, sixteen higher education institutions were automatically...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The Deputy will be aware that Marino Institute of Education (MIE) is a private higher education institution who receive funding from a variety of sources, including I understand some limited funding for approved teacher training activities from the Department of Education. MIE is not in receipt of core funding from my Department and competes with other eligible institutions for capital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 289 and 290 together. The number of courses available for application via the CAO at level 7 (Ordinary Degree) is less than those available at level 8 (Honors Degree). The courses offered by higher education institutions (HEIs), and the level at which those courses are offered, are determined by the institution in line with their academic autonomy. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that refurbishment works at the Sligo NZEB Training Centre for Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB are expected to be completed by the end of Q3 / 2025.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The fourth National Access Plan, was published in August 2022. One of the two overarching ambitions of this Plan is ‘that our higher education institutions are inclusive, universally designed environments which support student success and outcomes, equity and diversity’. PATH 4 Phase 1 Universal Design and Inclusive Environment Funds: In 2022, €3 million was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: As requested by the Deputy the list of eleven institutions where students with disabilities can enrol in Path 4 Phase 2 courses under the National Access Plan are as follows:Technological University Dublin (TUD).Trinity College Dublin (TCD).Mary Immaculate College (MIC).University of Galway (UoG).Atlantic Technological University (ATU).Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT).Munster...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The higher education sector operates under the terms of an Employment Control Framework (ECF) which is in place since 2011. The ECF places a ceiling on core-funded posts, which is reviewed by my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, on an annual basis as part of the budgetary process. The following table sets out...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: In 2023, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science engaged in six regional dialogue meetings concerning the Unified Tertiary Policy. Those meetings wereJune 15th in CavanJune 23rd in GalwayJune 26th in CorkJune 28th in WaterfordJune 29th in DublinNovember 6th in Athlone

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Consultations (2 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: All outstanding provisions of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act 2019 were commenced on 1 September 2024. This Act provides the legislative underpinning for a range of new statutory functions under the remit of Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) including a new Protection of Enrolled Learners (PEL) scheme underpinned by the establishment of...