Results 21-40 of 3,212 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:James Lawless

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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (1 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The Erasmus+ programme is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport activities throughout Europe. The objectives of the Programme are organised under three Key Actions:Learning mobility of individuals;Cooperation among organisations and institutions; andSupport to policy development and cooperation.Ireland is an active participant across all three Key Action areas....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (1 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The Department of Education and Youth’s (DEY) Circular Letter 0017/2025 lists all grades employed by Education and Training Boards (ETBs) in Further Education and Training (FET), other than teachers and SNAs. As per Section 19 of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013, DEY issues Circulars relating to grades other than teachers and SNAs employed by ETBs. There are more than 60...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (1 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. In relation to support available for students studying abroad, the Student Grant Scheme provides...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (1 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The contractual agreement, as described by the Deputy, for medicine students to take up employment within the Irish healthcare workforce after graduation from their medicine training, would need to be made with the employer, in this case the Department of Health and it's agency the HSE. A similar arrangement was reached with Queens University Belfast for undergraduate medicine places,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (1 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: My officials are collating the information requested and will revert to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2025 (1 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: My officials are looking into this matter and engaging with City of Dublin ETB. I will follow up with the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (1 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and are therefore responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational matters, including the management of academic affairs. Postgraduate tuition fees and fees for repeat periods of study are set by each institution. I understand that these fees can vary depending on a variety of factors, including the type of course and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (1 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: In the region of 10,000 students are enrolled annually in PhD programmes across Ireland. Of these, approximately 4,000 are privately funded, either by their employer or by themselves. The remainder receive public funding from a host of sources including this Department, the research funding agencies of other Government Departments and a small number are funded through the Horizon Europe...