Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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92. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update regarding the HEA call for expressions of interest to create more places for student vets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59397/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Higher Education Authority recently sought expressions of interest from higher education institutions interested in building capacity in Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, and Veterinary.

This process has been designed to respond swiftly to national skills needs, and Expressions of Interest were sought from institutions with capability to expand existing courses or create new courses in these areas from academic year 2024-25 or 2025-26. The closing date for submissions to the HEA was last Friday, 18th November 2022.

The HEA has informed my department that 39 expressions of interest have been received. Of these, 20 have proposed the delivery of new courses, and 19 are proposing to expand on existing courses in the selected disciplines. Overall, responses represent a rapid, nationwide engagement with the call, with expressions of interest in developing new courses in Pharmacy and Veterinary from all four provinces.

The HEA is currently reviewing applications with a view to moving to the second stage of the assessment process, which will involve review by an expert panel. I understand that the HEA has been in contact with institutions to advise them of the next steps. The HEA may use a similar Expression of Interest process to build capacity in these and other areas in the future, in line with its statutory remit for planning the provision of higher education, as set out in the new HEA legislation.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will retain the €1,000 reduction in fees for the 2023-2024 college year given the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59850/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am acutely conscious of the cost of living challenges facing students and the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address cost as a barrier to education.

As part of the 2022 cost of living response in the recent Budget, I prioritised the introduction of a significant package of measures to directly support students and their families.

These measures include, for the 2022/23 academic year, a reduction in the student contribution payable by free fees eligible students. Eligible full time students will benefit from a once off reduction in the student contribution rate of €1,000. Students eligible for a 50% student contribution grant support as paid by SUSI will benefit proportionally and will see the amount they pay to their institution reduce from €1,500 to €1,000.

In addition to the once off cost-of-living measures, I was also very pleased to secure Government's agreement to the introduction of a permanent new rate of student contribution support through SUSI from September 2023.

For students whose families have incomes between €62,000 and €100,000, there will be a new grant of €500 towards the undergraduate student contribution. I am also increasing the income limit for students to avail of the 50% student contribution grant. These measures mean that up to 50,000 extra students may be eligible for help towards paying the undergraduate student contribution.

The changes I am implementing will see a real, tangible and permanent reduction in costs for eligible students and clearly demonstrate the Government’s commitment to sustainably address cost as a barrier to education.

Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an engagement that he has had with the offshore renewable sector; if he is conscious of the need to ensure a steady pipeline of qualified graduates for this sector; if he will consider establishing a training centre of excellence in a college (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59452/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Government is committed to the achievement of ambitious targets for offshore wind generation capacity by 2030.

In that context, my Department is participating on a cross-Departmental Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce established under the Department of Energy, Climate and Communications to drive delivery and capture wider and longer term economic and business opportunities associated with the development of offshore renewables in Ireland. This encompasses the workforce and skills requirements to underpin the development of Ireland’s offshore wind industry.

It is important that projected workforce requirements are informed by the expertise of the relevant sectoral, Departmental and industry experts, with my Department contributing based upon its responsibility to align the future output at third level education with such current and emerging workforce plans.

Important skills and workforce responses are already in place to meet the needs of the off-shore wind sector. These include, for example, the Green Tech Skillnet, promoted by Wind Energy Ireland, the representative body for the Irish wind industry. The Skillnet delivers training to support the optimisation of renewables on the Irish grid in the short, medium, and long term through upskilling and management development in wind, solar and hydrogen technologies, from planning, construction, and maintenance training as well as business supports in human resources, marketing and finance. Training supports are also being rolled out on the recently adopted Maritime Area Planning Act, 2021.

Skillnet Ireland - a Government of Ireland agency funded by my Department - invested over €1m in grant funding to Green Tech Skillnet during 2020 and 2021.

I understand that no proposal has been received by my Department relating to the college referenced in the Deputy's question, but it is clear that the success of the Government's plans for the development of off-shore wind energy in Ireland will require the mobilisation of the whole of the network of technological universities (including the South East Technological University), institutes of technology, and further education and training providers.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if SUSI criteria of full-time in attendance course could be expanded to include blended courses, for example online and in-person training, given the current student accommodation difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59863/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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At present, the student grant scheme is targeted at full-time students. Courses that are part-time, less than two years in duration, conducted online or as distance courses or which lead to a special purpose or distance award are not currently approved for the purposes of the Student Grant Scheme.

However, I have been consistent in my position that we need to develop our student support system over time to ensure that it supports more flexible forms of learning. This will particularly benefit more disadvantaged learners, as recognised in the National Access Plan.

With this in mind, the review of the Student Grant Scheme, which I published earlier this year contains a recommendation that the Government, over the long term, should consider extending supports to more flexible forms of learning including blended/online and part-time. The Review, however, noted the complexity of the issue at national and institutional level, as well as the potential for increased costs to arise, and identified the need for careful planning to take place.

Implementation of the review of the Student Grant scheme is being undertaken within the context of Funding the Future, which is the Government's overall response to future funding of higher education and student support.

I have established a steering group which I chair alongside Professor Anne Looney and Professor Tom Collins, which is supported by two working groups comprising representatives of institutions, students, trade unions and employers.

The working group focused on skills, participation and cost is currently examining the potential to support students to avail of more flexible learning opportunities.

I would expect that this working group will provide their consideration of these issues in the coming months. Having regard to this initial assessment, my Department will then examine whether there are priority areas that can form part of the consideration of Budget 2024, particularly with respect to supporting disadvantaged and under-represented learners.

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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101. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that his Department is taking to financially support those undertaking PHD studies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59309/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As is clear from the actions already taken in Budget 2023, the Government is committed to improving the position of those on PhD stipends, in the context of the resources available and competing needs.

With that in mind, as an immediate and tangible relief against the challenges of the rising cost of living, I was pleased to introduce:

- a once off payment in 2022 of €500 for PhD students who receive an IRC or SFI award.

- a €500 increase to the stipend baseline in 2023 for PhD students who receive an IRC or SFI award.

PhD students may also, in certain circumstances, qualify for support from SUSI.

In my first budget as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, I increased the IRC Stipend from €16,000 per annum to €18,500, matching that of SFI. However, I believe that a more fundamental look at stipends and other associated issues is merited at this stage.

My Department will soon begin a national review of State supports for PhD researchers, and plans to have a report completed in early 2023. In this regard, I was pleased to recently appoint Dr Andrea Johnson and David Cagney as Co-Chairs for the review. I look forward to the completion of this review and the opportunity it will provide to give comprehensive consideration to the current supports for PhD students.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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102. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the announcement made in July 2022 regarding the additional 50 bursaries of €5,000 for the most disadvantaged students including those with a disability, mature students, lone parents and further education award holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59396/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for giving me an opportunity to update the House on the progress which has been made in providing bursaries for the most disadvantaged students.

I launched the fourth National Access Plan- a Strategic Action Plan for Equity of Access, Participation and Success in Higher Education in August.

This Plan identifies priority groups to support and sets out our vision for how we will improve access to higher education as well as specific goals and targets.

The 1916 Bursary Fund is a critical programme which will underpin delivery of the Plan. This Fund provides financial support to students identified by clusters of higher education institutions as being the most economically disadvantaged from amongst priority groups. The Bursary scheme complements existing student supports and access initiatives.

The 1916 Bursaries differ from existing bursaries in that they are targeted at non-traditional entry and can support undergraduate study on either a full or part-time basis.

In July 2022, I announced that 50 additional '1916 bursaries' of €5,000 per student would be made available for the most socio-economically disadvantaged students as identified in the National Access Plan, including those with a disability, mature students, lone parents, and further education award holders.

This brings the annual total Tier one bursaries to 253.

In addition, I introduced changes to the 2022/2023 '1916 Bursary' scheme to allow those on existing bursaries to continue their bursaries to pursue a graduate entry medicine course.

The closing date for applications has now passed and all successful applicants will be contacted once their application has been assessed by the institutions.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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103. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will examine the position of students who must repeat a year of their degree course; if he will ensure that they receive supports available to others such as the reduction in registration fees previously announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59784/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A key principle of the design of the free fees initiative and the SUSI scheme is to encourage progression, that is, to support students in progressing through a chosen course of study from year to year.

As a result, students are not typically supported for a repeat period of study or for a different course at the same level.

This is to ensure that the limited resources available are best used to support as many students as possible to obtain one qualification at each level of study.

There are provisions whereby students who find themselves experiencing exceptional circumstances, for example serious certified illness, can apply from an exception from either their institution for free fees or from SUSI as the case may be.

Where students do not qualify for the Department’s free fees schemes, an appropriate fee may be determined by each higher education institution as autonomous bodies.

What this means is that the once off student contribution support of €1,000 therefore does not apply to students undertaking a repeat period of study if that period of study is not eligible for the free fees scheme in this academic year.

While not all students are eligible for free fees or student grants, the Deputy may wish to be aware that I have also allocated over €17 million in funding for the Student Assistance Fund for the current academic year. This Fund provides financial support to full and part-time students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college and can provide assistance towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. Applications can be made to this Fund through the Access Office in a student’s higher education institution.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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106. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the new further education strategy will provide for increased and enhanced cross-border co-operation and collaboration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59815/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The current Further Education Strategy - Future FET: Transforming Learning - maps the immediate future of further education to 2024.This strategy is very much about positioning and building the capacity of further education institutions for the future, and beyond 2024. Within this strategy, the three key pillars are building skills, fostering inclusion and creating pathways.These pillars have the potential to lead to increased and enhanced cross-border co-operation and collaboration. More specific ambitions are contained within the Strategic Performance Agreements between SOLAS and the ETBs for the period of 2022-2024 and the relevant aspects in national policy, such as the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025.

Opportunities and proposed actions included enhanced pathways from further education and training in Ireland to either further education or higher education progression in Northern Ireland (particularly in border counties),

collaboration on an all-island basis, both through the PEACE PLUS initiative as well as the development of the Shared Island agenda, and,

exploration of the potential for an all-of-island apprenticeship.

Initial discussions on a possible shared apprenticeship and appropriate approach for same have commenced and will continue into the first half of next year.

My officials are currently working with their counterparts in the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland on the development of a framework under the forthcoming PEACE PLUS programme. Subject to the conclusion of a Financing Agreement between the EU and UK, it is anticipated that calls for Proposals will issue in Q1, 2023.

In addition to PEACE PLUS, my officials are finalising an International Education, Research and Innovation Strategy.The strengthening of relationships on a North-South and East-West basis will feature strongly in this strategy. I hope to publish this in the next few weeks.