Results 1-20 of 3,212 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Addressing shortages in critical health and social care professions, particularly in the disability sector, is a top priority for the government. In April 2025, in response to a request from the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Disability, I requested my officials to established an interdepartmental working group to address additional places and associated placements for the expansion of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The Public Service Apprenticeship Plan, jointly published by my Department and the then Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Deliver, and Reform, is a key commitment under my Department’s Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021–2025. It sets a clear roadmap to expand apprenticeship opportunities in the public service, targeting 750 annual registrations by 2025. Public service...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I would like to thank the Deputy for his question. Located at the National Construction Training Campus in Mount Lucas, the National Demonstration Park for modern methods of construction will serve as a national hub to showcase housing MMC products and systems. It is designed to facilitate training, awareness-raising, and industry engagement. In order to progress the Park, we have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121, 124, 130 and 131 together. I am acutely conscious of the financial challenges facing students and the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address costs as a barrier to education. I am committed to easing this burden for students and their families in a financially sustainable way. Almost all full-time undergraduate students have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Services (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Mental health and wellbeing of our third-level students is an ongoing priority for this Government and my Department and I remain committed to enhancing mental health supports across the sector. My Department has allocated a total of nearly €32 million to support higher education institutions in meeting the mental health and wellbeing needs of students since 2020. I am pleased to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I look forward to engaging with stakeholders this year as my Department reviews the current Action Plan and develops a new five-year strategy for the apprenticeship system from 2026.Apprenticeship funding has grown significantly, with €77 million allocated in Budget 2025 bringing the total to €339 million, an 84% increase since 2020. This investment, alongside strong employer...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Investment in the apprenticeship system has been significant since the formation of my Department in 2020. To ensure an adequate pipeline of skilled apprentices to support Government targets on housing and infrastructure development, Government invested €77 million in the apprenticeship system in Budget 2025, bringing the total current budget for apprenticeship to €339 million....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: When craft apprentices attend “off-the-job” training in Education and Training Board or Higher Education facilities they receive a fortnightly State-paid training allowance. This is not a wage and there is no contract of employment between SOLAS and the apprentice. Neither SOLAS nor my Department are involved in the setting of wages for craftspersons or apprentices....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Government has demonstrated a strong and sustained commitment to apprenticeships. Since the formation of Department of Further and Higher Education Innovation Research and Science, and the publication of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025, investment in apprenticeship training has increased by 85%, from €184 million in 2020 to €339 million in 2025 This investment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disability Services (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: My Department has made significant progress regarding the range of supports and programmes for learners with disabilities, including neurodivergent people, to assist students with disabilities in their transition from secondary to third level education, particularly in areas such as academic supports, accessibility, accommodation, and mental health services. The Programme for Access to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I thank the Deputy for his question. Louth Meath ETB (LMETB) is currently being supported by SOLAS in developing its Preliminary Business Case (PBC) proposal for Dunboyne under the FET College of the Future Major Projects fund. The proposal submitted by LMETB involves the construction of a new, fit-for-purpose facility on a greenfield site in Dunboyne. This new facility is intended to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: 695. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide comparative data between the number of cattle that fail the bovine TB skin test and the number of cattle subsequently confirmed to have TB lesions at slaughter; if he will review current testing methodologies for accuracy in light of these figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37145/25]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Animal Diseases (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: 696. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of animals slaughtered with TB actually have TB; if he will review current testing methodologies for accuracy in light of these figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37146/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (3 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The current Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021–2025 is under review, and preparations are underway to engage stakeholders in shaping the next plan, which will cover the years 2026–2030. A key focus of this upcoming plan will be the development of an Integrated Apprenticeship System, which will include considerations of matters you have raised. It is important to note that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (3 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The programmes in question are supported under the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) Strand 4 Phase 2 pilot initiative.   Phase 2 is a three-year pathfinding pilot with the dual objectives of supporting an enhancement of course provision for students with intellectual disabilities and informing future policy considerations for students with intellectual...

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...