Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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324. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he hopes to encourage participation in third and fourth-level education throughout the country regardless of socioeconomic background; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42827/20]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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334. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which discussions continue in respect of a fair and equitable third and fourth-level access to the education system given the difficulties of other jurisdictions with the administration of student loans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42837/20]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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335. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to ensure that all second-level school leavers have a reliable opportunity to access third-level education given the increasing requirements and competition in the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42838/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 324, 334 and 335 together.

The vision of National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-2021 is that the student body entering, participating in, and completing higher education at all levels reflects the diversity and social mix of Ireland’s population. The plan set out five goals and more than thirty actions, developed following widespread consultation with stakeholders, with the aim of supporting increased access and participation in higher education by six main target groups:

1. Entrants from socio-economic groups that have low participation in higher education;

2. First-time mature students;

3. Students with disabilities;

4. Part-time/flexible learners;

5. Further education and training award holders; and

6. Irish Travellers.

The plan also indicated subgroups that require support, including lone parents, teen parents and ethnic minorities.

A Progress Review of the National Access Plan published in December 2018 highlighted several key achievements e.g. increases in participation across a number of target groups, particularly students with disabilities and from socio-economically disadvantaged groups.

The objectives of the National Access Plan are supported by a range of interventions and programmes:

- Approximately €42 million within core State funding allocated to HEIs is in recognition of the additional costs of recruiting and retaining students from under-represented backgrounds. This enables all HEIs to have an access infrastructure in place that provides for the pre-entry and post-entry work required to support students from target groups in accessing and successfully completing higher education.

- Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) which comprises dedicated funding to support access to higher education and consists of three strands focussed on increasing the participation of under-represented groups in higher education. Current funding envelope of over €30m from 2016-2022

- PATH 1 – Initial funding of €2.7m over three years to support equity of access to teacher education programmes. Continuation of PATH 1 funding for a further three years announced at the start of 2020.

- PATH 2 (1916 Bursary) – Commenced in 2017/18 academic year and consists of 200 bursaries a year for the most socio-economically disadvantaged students from National Access Plan target groups; bursaries worth €5,000 per year. Additional bursaries were announced as part of Budget 2021.

- PATH 3 -  Supports institutional capacity in developing regional and community partnership strategies for increasing access to higher education by target groups. Initial funding package of €7.5m over three years

- Student Assistance Fund  - annual funding of €9.1m including ring-fenced funding €1m for part-time students. In recent years, ring-fenced funding has also been provided for students on Professional Master of Education (PME) courses.

- Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) – €9.6m in funding every year covering both higher and further education sectors. The purpose of the Fund for Students with Disabilities is to provide funding to higher and further education institutions to assist them in offering supports and services to eligible students with disabilities so that they can access, fully participate in and successfully complete their chosen course of study. Since 2018 it covers part-time students as well.

- HEAR and DARE schemes - The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) supports students who have a socio-economic disadvantage to enter higher education on reduced points. Latest data shows that of approximately 4,000 eligible HEAR applicants in 2019, there were just over 2,500 acceptances of a HEAR place. The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) is a third level alternative admissions scheme for school leavers whose disabilities have had a negative impact on their second level education. Latest data shows that of about 4,000 eligible DARE applicants in 2019, there were just over 2,600 acceptances of a DARE place.

- A study commissioned by the HEA on the challenges facing mature students in participating in higher education is approaching completion (focussing on trends, challenges and barriers, review of funding supports and guidance systems, recommendations). The report is due to be published in Q1 2021.

As part of the response to COVID-19, a number of policy interventions have also occurred to support the goals of the National Access Plan and in particular to support disadvantaged students who are more likely to be significantly impacted by COVID-19 and associated restrictions:

- €15 million in support of disadvantaged students in higher and further education in accessing ICT devices

- €8.1m to double the 2020/21 SAF allocation

- €1.9m in the form of a once-off COVID-19 contingency fund to enable HEIs deliver local COVID-19 responses to support disadvantaged students

- €300,000 for targeted supports to address the implications of COVID-19 on Traveller participation in higher education (Dormant Accounts Funding)

In relation to socio-economically disadvantaged students specifically, the HEA has recently published data analysing the socio-economic profile of our higher education population on the basis of Deprivation Index Scores. This dataset will be of significant benefit to higher education institutions in further developing their access and outreach activities and will also aide in the development of the next National Access Plan in terms of setting our ambitions for the future and measuring progress. Consultation on this new Plan will commence in 2021.

There is currently no national student loan scheme in place in Ireland, as there is in other countries, and so the potential difficulties of administering such a scheme have no impact on access to higher education. Where financial support is provided to students to assist them in accessing higher education it is provided in the form of grants, bursaries or other supports not requiring repayment from the student.

The main financial support available to students hoping to access further or higher education is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme where students are studying for the first time or are progressing to study at a higher level e.g. progressing to postgraduate study. To qualify for grant support, a student has to meet various criteria such as means, residency, nationality and progression. The aim of the student maintenance grant is to make a contribution towards the cost of going to college and to assist students with their living costs while in college.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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325. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which he expects to generate increased interest in the technical side of education in order to ensure the ready availability of a highly-qualified workforce in preparation for an increasingly competitive workplace market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42828/20]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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327. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of third-level places available academic and technical places available for students in each of the past five years to date; the extent to which changes are likely in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42830/20]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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329. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which adequate places have been available in the current years for students pursuing academic or technical courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42832/20]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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336. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of places available for third and fourth-level students in the technical and academic sectors currently; his proposals to improve on this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42839/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 325, 327, 329 and 336 together.

The distinction between academic and technical courses is not one used by my Department. Figures on enrolments by subject area for the years 2014 - 2018 is available in the attached table. 2018 is the latest year for which this data is available.

This year more students than ever before were offered a place in higher education with more than 49,000 accepting an offer of a place. These places will be maintained next year, and €18 million has been provided in Budget 2021 to deliver an additional 2,700 new undergraduate student places from September 2021. This increase will address demographic growth pressures and equates to an overall investment of nearly €80 million to address the demographic increases since 2018. These places are in addition to the 1,330 additional places commencing in 2021, funded through the Human Capital Initiative Pillar 2, which will be on undergraduate courses in areas of identified skills needs.

There are a number of key strategies in place at all levels to ensure we meet existing and future skills demands. These include policies designed to ensure a pipeline of suitably qualified science and technical graduates, and initiatives to equip young people and the working population more generally with the skills and capacity to meet these demands. .

These strategies and initiatives include: the National Skills Strategy 2025; Technology Skills 2022; Springboard+; the Human Capital Initiative and the July Stimulus package.

Under Pillar 2 of the Human Capital Initiative 3,000 undergraduate places are being created in Key Skills areas such as Science, Engineering, ICT and Professional Construction. 1,415 of these places were brought on stream for the 2020 academic year, with the remainder to follow in 2021.

Future Jobs Ireland, which was launched in March 2019 is a new whole-of Government plan to secure Ireland’s economic success. A key element of Future Jobs Ireland is to support business, invest in the development of people and to enhance skills and develop and attract talent to ensure our education and training system is responsive to enterprise needs. We must ensure that we have accessible upskilling options and that our education and training providers offer relevant and up-to-date courses which meet the needs of enterprises and workers.

Springboard+ runs an annual call in order to be in a position to provide the most up to date skills needs courses responding to advances in technology that are impacting the future world of work. For instance, the 2020 offering of Springboard courses included, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Governance.

In general HE institutions are constantly reviewing and updating their course curriculum in collaboration with enterprise to ensure that undergraduate and taught postgraduate course content is reflecting emerging trends in the future world of work and Industry 5.0.

My Department will continue to align our further and higher education policies with what is required in the workplace. We will do this by working with industry to address current needs and, looking beyond the current world of work, by equipping individuals with the skills they need to succeed in the changing labour market.

I am satisfied that these and other important elements of my Department’s strategies, developed in collaboration with key stakeholders, will help ensure that we are well prepared to meet our skills needs including the scientific needs of the economy.

Enrolments in Higher Education, by subject area, 2014 to 2018

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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326. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the number of students taking up fourth-level education can be encouraged into the technical area with increased emphasis on apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42829/20]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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Apprenticeship in Ireland has undergone significant reform and expansion over the past 5 years.  In this period, 34 new apprenticeship programmes across all sectors of the economy including new and growing areas – cybersecurity, CGI technical artistry, accountancy, supply chain management, manufacturing technology, and biopharma – have been designed and delivered by consortia comprising representatives from across relevant industry sectors and educational providers. There are an additional 20 apprenticeships in development as of the end of 2020.

The level of qualifications encompassed by apprenticeship has broadened from the QQI level 6 national certificates linked to craft apprenticeship to new qualifications offered from level 5-10 of the national framework of qualifications (Where levels 9 and 10 are postgraduate level).  Two QQI level 9 programmes in the supply chain and logistics area were launched in 2019 followed by the first QQI level 10 apprenticeship, Principal Engineer, which was launched recently.  Five additional apprenticeships at level 9 are currently in development in the areas of construction, engineering, hospitality, finance and ICT.

As a demand driven programme new apprenticeship development is dependent on an employer-led approach while the number of apprenticeship placements is determined by employers within any given sector.  The development of postgraduate level apprenticeships has now been established and the forthcoming Action Plan on Apprenticeship will build on the successes and learnings from both the craft and consortia-led approaches to ensure that apprenticeship will form a significant part of the Government’s response to recovery from the COVID-19 crises and the development of a skilled workforce into the future.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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328. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects third and fourth-level courses to cater for the needs of students or postgraduates in the area of research with particular reference to the future requirements of the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42831/20]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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330. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the means by which innovative education at third or fourth-level can be expected to meet the challenges of the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42833/20]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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331. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the role he sees for advancement in science in the technical and academic areas in the future with particular reference to identifying the need for a balanced third and fourth-level educational sector in line with the likely requirements of employment in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42834/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 328, 330 and 331 together.

Innovation 2020, the current national strategy for research and development, science and technology, acknowledges the importance of the pipeline of skilled and talented individuals playing a critical factor in innovation. From pre-primary through to further and higher education and throughout an individual’s career, skills and knowledge need to be continuously enhanced if individuals, employers and countries are to realise their potential.

The expansion of higher education has been a key enabling factor in the growth of the Irish economy over the past four decades. The availability and quality of graduates is essential if we are to maintain our attractiveness as a location for investment and grow our reputation as a destination for a successful research career. Equally, increased participation in higher education has resulted in significant contributions to society and has played a critical role in enriching our cultural life.

Postgraduate education delivered by higher education institutions is critical to Ireland’s research system. In addition to contributing to knowledge, postgraduate researcher education drives participants to develop their own research and innovation skills that can be applied in a range of environments, in academia or industry, at home or abroad.

Our society and the world of work are changing rapidly, and if anything, this will be accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Higher Education Institutions will have an important role in equipping us to manage this change. This will entail agility and innovation in how universities operate. The HEIs across the country responded to this challenge – providing support staff, equipment, delivering PPE, undertaking research into COVID-19, engaging our citizens through the media as experts and much more. The higher education sector was able to maintain teaching and learning in radically challenging circumstances and also demonstrated the flexibility to meet urgent needs, including the additional university places required following the Leaving Certificate.   What this crisis has shown us is the importance of having talent and skills to support our society and economy deal with the challenges we face.

Challenge-led innovation is an increasingly important concept. Stimulating solutions driven collaboration will foster interdisciplinary consortia of enterprises, HEIs and public service delivery bodies to address major societal challenges. Interdisciplinary research is key to addressing such challenges, and incorporating the ‘human factor’ is also vital. Societal challenges are typically highly complex, and the engagement of researchers from both Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths can often generate more innovative solutions and new ways of approaching and thinking about problems.

The establishment of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science will mean that, in addition to public funding for higher and further education, well over 50% of national public research funding will be under its auspices. This is a great opportunity to bring further cohesion and balance to teaching and research across the further and higher education institutions to ensure that Ireland has the talent and skills to match the changing employment landscape and to keep pace with the advancement of science and build on our position as we aspire to become a global innovation leader.

Innovation 2020 is due to conclude at the end of this year. The Mid-Term review of Innovation 2020 published last year reaffirmed the relevance of the policy objectives of Innovation 2020, including the need to increase investment in research infrastructure and research talent. As part of the consultation process for the successor strategy, which will be developed by my new department, I will work with enterprise agencies and industry groups, as well as the higher education institutes, to manage the future demand for research graduates to ensure we are prepared for the challenges we will face.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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332. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the advancement of educational programmes to meet the scientific needs of the economy in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42835/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The tertiary education system has a number of key strategies in place at all levels to ensure we meet existing and future skills demands. These include policies designed to ensure a pipeline of suitably qualified science and technical graduates, and initiatives to equip young people and the working population more generally with the skills and capacity to meet these demands. 

These strategies and initiatives include: the National Skills Strategy 2025; Technology Skills 2022; Springboard+; the Human Capital Initiative and the July Stimulus package.

Future Jobs Ireland, which was launched in March 2019 is a new whole-of Government plan to secure Ireland’s economic success. A key element of Future Jobs Ireland is to support business, invest in the development of people and to enhance skills and develop and attract talent to ensure our education and training system is responsive to enterprise needs. We must ensure that we have accessible upskilling options and that our education and training providers offer relevant and up-to-date courses which meet the needs of enterprises and workers.

Springboard+ runs an annual call in order to be in a position to provide the most up to date skills needs courses responding to advances in technology that are impacting the future world of work.  For instance, the 2020 offering of Springboard courses included, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Governance.

The Human Capital Initiative Pillar 3 which aims to promote innovative methods of teaching and delivery, so that learners will benefit from improved quality and more engaging ways of learning on enterprise focused courses.  It also aims to increase institutions’ ongoing capacity to anticipate, understand and respond rapidly to emerging skill needs of enterprise. The impact of these 5 year programmes will have a longer term impact on the quality of graduates emerging from the HE system.

In general HE institutions are constantly reviewing and updating their course curriculum in collaboration with enterprise to ensure that undergraduate and taught postgraduate course content is reflecting emerging trends in the future world of work and Industry 5.0.

My Department will continue to align our further and higher education policies with what is required in the workplace. We will do this by working with industry to address current needs and, looking beyond the current world of work, by equipping individuals with the skills they need to succeed in the changing labour market.

I am satisfied that these and other important elements of my Department’s strategies, developed in collaboration with key stakeholders, will help ensure that we are well prepared to meet our skills needs including the scientific needs of the economy.