Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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142. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills The way in which he will address the chronic shortage of veterinary medicine places; if he will outline a timeframe for delivering additional places; if he will instruct the Higher Education Authority to include a criterion of regional balance as part of the expression of interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59807/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Ensuring a supply of qualified Vets to meet the demands of the sector is a priority for my Department. Workforce planning requirements for the veterinary medicine sector requires advice from and consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Veterinary Council of Ireland, as the regulators of the profession.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has recently sought expressions of interest from higher education institutions interested in building capacity in Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, and Veterinary from academic year 2024-25 or 2025-26. The closing date for expressions of interest was the 18th November. This process has been designed to respond swiftly to national skills needs, and EOIs are sought from institutions with capability to expand existing courses in these areas.

The HEA has informed my department that, 39 expressions of interest have been received. Of these, 20 institutions have proposed to deliver new courses, and 19 institutions 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.

I understand that this process has moved into a second stage and the HEA is engaging with relevant institutions, in line with their statutory remit for planning the provision of higher education as set out in the new HEA legislation.

Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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143. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to develop a policy to address the deficit in sustainable transport and spatial planning expertise, in particular to support level 8 and 9 study programmes in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59860/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to ensuring that the education and training system is appropriately positioned to support the growth and development of the skills required the move to Zero Carbon.Ireland has an advanced system of skills provision, across Further and Higher Education, lifelong learning and human capital development, which is agile and responsive to changes in the world of work, in order to address evolving skills needs.

The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs report – ‘Skills for Zero Carbon – The Demand for Renewable Energy, Residential Retrofit and Electric Vehicle Deployment Skills to 2030’ published in 2021, advises on the nature and quantity of the skills required by these Zero Carbon sectors over the next decade, and will help inform the broader response put in place in order to deliver on the targets set for sustainable transport .

It is important to say that the provision of relevant programmes in the further and higher education system must have regard to overall workforce plans which are the responsibility of the relevant Departments to develop for their sectors.

The education and training sector is already working collaboratively with industry to deliver on required skills needs identified in the report across both further and higher education institutions.

In respect of sustainable transport and spatial planning, currently there are a number of programmes such as: Bachelor of Science (Hons) Sustainable Transport Management (Level 8), CPD Spatial Planning and Transport Certificates (Level 8), Master of Science Spatial Planning (Level 9) and Master of Science Sustainable Transport and Mobility (Level 9). There is also a (Level 7) Bachelor of Science in Electric Vehicle Technology course available through Springboard+ on a part-time basis, with 25 enrollments in 2023/23.

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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144. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if special consideration will be given to SUSI grant applications in cases in which one of the parents or guardians of the applicant is being treated for or is recovering from a serious illness (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59695/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I very much recognise the heavy demands on families from outgoings of all kinds and the many unavoidable costs of living, including medical costs.

What is very important in any scheme which involves means assessment is that it is as fair as possible to all applicants.

The assessment of means under the Student Grant Scheme is based on gross income from all sources before the deduction of income tax or the universal social charge.

The assessment of income from the same starting point is deemed to be fair and reasonable because this approach eliminates any distortion which might arise from different outgoings in different households.

My aim is to continue to make changes which help families in the fairest way possible. A range of measures were announced in Budget 2023 to enhance the scheme, including a package of cost-of-living measures that have come into effect already this year.

The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for SUSI to determine. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe. Such appeals can be made by the appellant on line via

Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, students can apply for supports under the Student Assistance Fund. The fund assists students in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the higher education institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.