Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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1288. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the last occasion on which a Department-wide review of all funding within his Department took place; the frequency of such reviews; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40637/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science was formed in summer 2020.

The funding allocated to my Department, as set down in the annual Estimates, is used to meet costs associated with the provision of further and higher education, labour market initiatives including skills, and Irish research and development. The allocation is provided both directly and through my Department’s aegis bodies to fund: i) the salaries and pensions of public sector workers in the higher education, further education and research sectors, ii) the day to day running costs and capital investment needs of higher and further education institutions, iii) Irish research including through Science Foundation Ireland, iv) skills and labour market initiatives through SOLAS and the National Training Fund, v) the general administration costs of my Department, etc. Funding is also allocated for a range of programmes and initiatives.

As part of the yearly Estimates process, my Department’s funding is scrutinised by the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science before being approved by the Dáil. There is also monthly scrutiny of budgeted allocations against actual expenditure by my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. In addition, other organisations including the Comptroller and Auditor General Office and the Parliamentary Budget Office conduct ex-ante scrutiny of funding for the Oireachtas.

Since 2017, the Spending Review has become a key platform for evaluative analysis across the Civil Service. While Value for Money Reviews continue to be produced across a number of Departments, some of this work is now completed as part of the Spending Review which is led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. More details on the process can be found here: . Since its formation, the Department has not been involved in any Spending Reviews.

The published Estimates for my Department’s Vote provides information regarding expenditure and may be of assistance to the Deputy.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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1289. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the State funding provided to Dublin City University in each of the years 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [40653/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions via the recurrent funding model.

The HEA also allocates funding under specific initititives and programmes including Skills funding under the NTF; access initiatives; capital grants; research grants; Erasmus; superannuation and other initiatives.

Please see table attached outlining funding provided by the HEA to Dublin City University (DCU) from 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1290. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department provides funding for the DARE and HEAR programmes; if so, the funding which is provided; if his Department lays down conditions as to the way this funding is administered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40737/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the HEAR and DARE schemes are reduced points mechanisms for entry into higher education.

The schemes are managed and operated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) on behalf of the higher education institutions who are autonomous bodies. Participating higher education institutions provide the funding for the IUA to manage the schemes on their behalf.