Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 573: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps that have been taken by the relevant Departments, FÁS and Institutes of Technology since December 2008 to ensure that apprentices who were laid off are able to finish their apprenticeships as outlined in Building Ireland's Smart Economy: A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal report. [43118/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The management of the Apprenticeship Training Scheme is the responsibility of FAS, which operates under the aegis of my colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment. I understand that FAS is taking a number of measures to assist apprentices who have been made redundant secure the relevant on-the-job training phases necessary to complete their apprenticeship.

The Institutes of Technology have been working closely with FÁS to facilitate apprentices complete their training as quickly as possible and summer blocks in off-the-job training phases were held in a number of the institutes in 2009.

In addition, a new education programme has been developed by the Institutes of Technology for redundant apprentices, who cannot otherwise secure the job placements required in order to complete their normal apprenticeship programme. The programme focuses on developing core skills in maths, ICT and business in order to facilitate students progressing to other higher education programmes or to completing their apprenticeship at a later stage. Programmes commenced in September 2009. Participants will receive a FETAC Level 5 Certificate in Construction Technology or Certificate in Engineering Technology for this programme.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 574: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps taken since December 2008 to encourage applications for courses at institutes of technology with vacant places; the steps taken by institutes of technology to develop additional national framework of qualification level six programmes in areas in which employment opportunities exist since December 2008 as outlined in the Building Ireland's Smart Economy report; if new measures have been introduced to make training and education services available to a greater number of unemployed persons. [43126/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Following a review by the Institutes of Technology of the scope to utilise vacant capacity, it was decided that placing people on programmes which had already started could disadvantage both existing students and the new students, some of whom may have been some time out of the formal education system. As an alternative 280 places were made available on a direct entry basis to a range of newly developed accelerated Level 6 Certificate programmes, which commenced between February and April 2009. Under this initiative unemployed persons were offered the opportunity to complete the first year of a standard two year programme in an accelerated manner so that they could move to the second year of the programme in September 2009.

Institutes of Technology also used spare capacity to provide over 900 places on a range of newly developed part-time transition programmes. These programmes were developed to assist unemployed people who may be some time out of the formal education system to find out more about the type of third level courses that may be suited to them and to build their confidence to return to education by developing some of the necessary skills for studying at third level.

2,500 new places have been made available for unemployed people on part-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses from September 2009. All 2,500 places are on courses that support the goals of the "Smart Economy" and particularly those relating to specific skills needs of exporting sectors identified by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs. The scheme is open to people who have been on the Live Register for at least six months or who have been awarded statutory redundancy.

In addition, an additional 1,500 PLC places were allocated to VECs nationwide, bringing the total number of approved PLC places to 31,688 for the 2009/2010 academic year.

The scope to develop further responses is under consideration in the context of ongoing discussions with other Government Departments on developing appropriate upskilling training and education responses for unemployed people.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 575: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of the campaign to position Ireland as a destination of choice in the international education marketing through new regulatory and marketing coordination arrangements announced in the Building Ireland's Smart Economy: A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal report in December 2008. [43139/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Arising from the commitment in Building Ireland's Smart Economy A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal, I announced details of the new regulatory, marketing and co-ordination framework to promote Ireland as a centre for international education on 1 September. The key arrangements are as follows. First, Enterprise Ireland will have responsibility for marketing and promotion of the "Education Ireland" brand overseas and will lead the development, promotion and marketing of international higher education. Second, Fáilte Ireland will continue to have responsibility for development and promotion of the English language sector; Third, the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, and subsequently the amalgamated qualifications body announced under the 2009 Budget, will have responsibility for the regulation of international education programmes, including the introduction of a quality mark and code of practice for Irish providers of education to international students. Fourth, a new High Level Group on International Education will be established under the chairmanship of the Department of Education and Science and will bring together the key Government departments and agencies involved with the education providers themselves. The first phase of the Group's work will be the preparation of an action plan for enhanced performance. There has been considerable progress made to date in implementing the new arrangements.

My Department is currently working with the various stakeholders to re-allocate existing resources to support the new organisational arrangements. The International Education Board Ireland, a body under my Department's aegis, is being wound up and the staff and financial resources transferred to Enterprise Ireland, the Higher Education Authority and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland. The Advisory Council for English Language Schools will be wound-up and the responsibilities and staff will be transferred to the National Qualifications Authority. I expect that the new arrangements will be in place by the beginning of 2010.

My Department is currently finalising arrangements for the High Level Group. In advance of this, it has been convening an inter-agency committee to facilitate greater collaboration and co-ordination among the State bodies involved in promoting international education. My Department is also represented on the Inter-Departmental Committee on Student Immigration and has been working closely with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and other Government Departments to facilitate a co-ordinated approach on this issue.

The forthcoming Qualifications (Education and Training) Bill will provide a statutory underpinning to the Quality Mark and code of practice. In advance of this, responsibility for the internationalisation register, currently maintained by my Department as a list of approved programmes which non-EEA students can attend if they wish to avail of access to the labour market during their studies here, will be transferred to the NQAI early in the new year, facilitating a more joined-up regulatory approach.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 576: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of the new higher education strategy announced in the Building Ireland's Smart Economy: A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal report in December 2008, for which a steering group was appointed in February 2009. [43142/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The process to develop a new national strategy for higher education is being led by a high level Strategy Group under the Chairmanship of Dr Colin Hunt. The group has met on eight occasions since its establishment in February 2009.

A vibrant responsive higher education system will be crucially important in terms of Ireland's future development and the Strategy Group are cognisant of the need to fully engage with all stakeholders in the sector and wider society. A first round of consultation was completed in the summer under which an open call for written submissions elicited a significant and valuable response. More than 100 submissions were received and are available on the Higher Education Authority website: www.hea.ie. I understand that the Strategy Group are undertaking additional detailed consultations to fully inform the development of the new strategy. I expect that the overall process of finalising the strategy report will be completed early in the New Year.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 577: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps that have been taken since December 2008 to develop targeted bursary programmes with industry for engineering programmes; the further measures being considered to encourage high quality students to undertake priority areas of study as outlined in the Building Ireland's Smart Economy: A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal report; the way high quality students are defined and identified; the status of the implementation plan for the national skills strategy announced in December 2008. [43144/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The rationale for the introduction of bursaries or other measures to encourage high quality students to undertake priority areas of study would be to address a perceived lack of interest on the part of students in undertaking programmes in particular disciplines. Some €2.5 million per annum is allocated to the Discover Science and Engineering programme, funded by Forfás, to promote the take up of science, engineering and technology in schools and colleges, as well as an awareness of the importance of these disciplines in wider society. The latest figures from the CAO show that the number of people accepting third level places on engineering courses this year increased by almost 21% on 2008/09. In addition, the number of computing and science place acceptances is up more than 25%. This suggests that students are recognising the value of pursuing such disciplines. The introduction of targeted bursaries or other measures will be considered further in the light of industry views and the significant increases in enrolments that have taken place this year.

An Inter-Departmental Committee was established in February 2008 with a view to drawing up an Implementation Plan for the National Skills Strategy. The drafting of the Implementation Plan which is being co-ordinated by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, is at an advanced stage. However, the changed economic circumstances will certainly have an impact on the extent to which the targets contained in the National Skills Strategy can be addressed in the short term. The Implementation Plan is being updated to reflect these changing circumstances.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 578: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps taken since December 2008 to expand the number of summer schools in science and engineering as announced in the Building Ireland's Smart Economy: A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal report; if he will link young scientist winners with third level institutions or to a firm to enable them to develop their idea; if he will raise the profile of student enterprise awards run by county and city enterprise boards; if he will encourage second level students to participate in an enterprise related programme. [43145/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's Framework for Building Ireland's Smart Economy committed to the expansion of summer schools in science and engineering with an emphasis on innovation and commercialisation. As the Deputy may be aware, there is currently a substantial calendar of summer schools in place across higher education institutions, targeted at both second-level and primary level pupils. Summer schools in the area of science and engineering cover a wide variety of activities, ranging from hands-on experimental work, science theory and career advice. These are designed to stimulate interest in science and engineering courses generally. The scope, including funding implications, for incorporating or expanding innovation and commercialisation activities within summer school programmes is being explored by my Department with the Higher Education Authority.

In relation to the young scientist competition, the event has been expanded this year to include a new business programme that will provide selected students with the opportunity to develop the business knowledge they need to turn their innovative ideas into commercial opportunities. The new programme creates a forum for 40 students to be mentored by leading executives and professionals from BT, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Bombardier, Bord Gáis Éireann, IP Innovations, UCD, TCD, Engineers Ireland and Bank of Ireland. The students will gain practical business knowledge from the mentors through a series of workshops and master-classes on subjects such as: protecting intellectual capital, global marketing, international business, stakeholder communications, innovation principles, and business strategy. In addition, appropriate arrangements are being made so that summer placements in higher education institutions will be available for the top performing students in the competition next year.

The Smart Economy Framework also makes reference to raising the profile of the National Student Enterprise Awards run by the County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) and encouraging greater participation in enterprise related programmes.

Responsibility for the CEBs rests with my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I understand that arrangements for the National Student Enterprise Awards 2009/10, including their timing and their location to a central Dublin venue, should ensure a higher profile for the programme. Furthermore, the Taoiseach announced the establishment of the Sean Lemass Award in June 2009, which will be presented to the overall winner of the Student Enterprise Awards. A fundamental aim of the award will be to encourage greater participation by students at second level in entrepreneurial activities, to encourage more schools to take part in enterprise award schemes, and to raise the profile of the schemes. The initiative will now be taken forward by an inter-agency group which will include officials from my Department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, along with representatives of the Transition Year Support Service, the CEBs and Enterprise Ireland.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 579: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the work undertaken since December 2008 to enhance the role of information and communication technologies in the education sector as announced in the Building Ireland's Smart Economy: A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal report; the position regarding the expansion of the schools broadband programme; the number of schools which have been equipped with 100 mb per second broadband connectivity. [43146/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that significant progress has been made since December 2008 to enhance the role of ICT in education. The Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal, Building Ireland's Smart Economy, published in 2008 re-iterates Government policy to pursue the investment in school infrastructure, within available resources. The Framework commits to working to enhance the role of ICT in the education system, working in partnership with industry to invest further in the provision of equipment and connectivity.

My Department has recently participated in an industry advisory group to explore possible approaches to implementing the recommendations set out in the Strategy Group's Report, Investing Effectively in Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2008 - 2013. This industry advisory group which was chaired by Paul Rellis, Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland, and comprised members of ICT Ireland, the Telecommunications and Internet Federation, the Irish Software Association, officials from my Department, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the National Centre for Technology in Education, published its report on the 16th of November. The report, which is entitled Smart Schools = Smart Economy, makes a number of recommendations including the establishment of an ICT in Schools Steering Group, with key stakeholders participating in the group i.e. teachers, parents, Government, industry and students. The Report also identified the need for significant investment in ICT for schools over the next three years. In this regard as a first step, €22 million in grants will issue to primary schools this month. In line with the Strategy Group and Industry Group Reports I have requested that schools give priority to ensuring there is a teaching laptop and digital projector in every classroom. It is intended that funding for post primary schools will be made available early in the new year.

Progress in other areas includes the prioritisation of the role of the school's ICT coordinating teacher, with the support of the school principal, as central in the provision of ongoing ICT support and advice to schools. A handbook, Planning and Implementing e-Learning in your School, has been provided for principals and ICT co-ordinating teachers, and nationwide seminars for Primary level on e-Learning are due to be rolled out over the coming weeks. The range of digital content, available on the web portal Scoilnet, is being extended.

In the area of broadband, my Department is currently awarding contracts under the second phase of the Programme and the indications from the recently completed evaluation of tenders are that this will mean enhanced bandwidth for schools. The indications also are that there will be significantly less schools dependent on satellite technology for their broadband connectivity.

I am also working with my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, to pursue the Government objective of equipping second-level schools with 100Mb per second of broadband connectivity and installing wireless local area networks. In this regard, 78 post primary schools have been selected to participate in a pilot project. I have been informed that the evaluation process has been completed, the preferred bidders selected and contract negotiations are expected to be completed shortly for the connectivity phase of the project.