Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

469. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the main policy achievements of his Department since 27 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61651/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 469 and 472 together.

Significant progress has been made in the further and higher education sectors since the establishment of my Department in August 2020. The 2021 Annual Report for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science provides a comprehensive overview of the Department's achievements in 2021. The link for the Annual Report can be found here: www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/76993-annual-report-2021-department-of-further-and-higher-education-research-innovation-and-science/.

2022 has seen a similar level of achievement and delivery in my Department, some of those key policies are listed below.

Higher Education

Funding the Future: Funding the Future was a landmark policy announced on May 3, 2022. After considerable consultation with stakeholders it set forward a long-term viable finance plan for higher education. With an approximate 25% increase in additional investment for each new student in the higher education system made accessible in Budget 2023, the work on Funding our Future to address basic funding needs also serves as a standard for the sustainable funding of additional spaces.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: In May, I announced funding of €3 million a year to 2025 in order for higher education institutions to implement universal design and inclusive practices on their campuses in order to improve the opportunities for students in higher education with intellectual disabilities.

In October, I launched the Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Implementation Plan. This supports a zero tolerance approach already in place to issues of sexual violence and harassment in our Higher Education Institutions. The Plan has also secured funding of an additional €1.5 million in Budget 2023. This will support the appointment of Sexual Violence and Harassment (SVH) Prevention and Response Managers in our Higher Education Institutions.

National Access Plan: The fourth National Access Plan was launched in August 2022 - 'A strategic action plan for equity of access, participation and success in higher education'. The National Access Plan, which covers the period from 2022- 2028, is a national priority and a key commitment in the Programme for Government. Additional funding of €35 million will be provided by the Department to deliver the targets over the course of the 7 year plan.

Technological University Agenda: The South East Technological University, the fifth TU in Ireland, was officially opened in October 2022. It is the first University in the region and demonstrates both the regional impact and national reach of these institutions. It will remain a key focus for myself and my Department to support the TUs in achieving their goals over the coming years.

Higher Education Authority Act 2022: The HEA Act was commenced on November 10th. This framework sees a significant strengthening of governance structures across the higher education sector and provides a robust framework in which agile higher education institutions can deliver on their mission.

Student Accommodation: Secure and affordable accommodation is essential for ensuring that students can focus on their studies and achieve at their highest level. To help deliver this, for the first time, the State will assist with the cost of building student accommodation to ensure increased availability and promote greater access, particularly for student groups in need of additional supports. My Department has recently established a dedicated unit to support student accommodation matters. The immediate focus will be to engage directly with Higher Education Institutes to activate those building projects which have already secured full planning permission.

Further Education and Training

Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Strategy: In January 2022 I announced that €3 million will be allocated for the implementation of the Adult Literacy for Life Strategy. This investment made it possible to build the resources needed to meet the adult literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy goals, such as the recruitment of regional literacy coordinators. An additional €2 million was allocated in the Budget 2023 to support the Adult Literacy for Life Strategy.

Apprenticeship: My Department introduced the National Apprenticeship Alliance (NAA) in March. The NAA has an advisory role in the development of the apprenticeship system and is entrusted with monitoring and approving the growth of new apprenticeships over the next years.

In April, I launched a new gender-based bursary for apprenticeship employers. This bursary covers all new apprentice registrations from that date on the eligible programmes. The bursary, which is worth €2,666, is available to employers who employ apprentices on any national apprenticeship programme in which there is more than 80% representation of a single gender.

Employers who hire apprentices on post-2016 programmes now qualify for a new award of €2,000. This removes a significant barrier to employer involvement in apprenticeship by providing financial support to all apprentice employers for the first time. Budget 2023 included €400k for the Access to Apprenticeship initiative's expansion and the creation of an apprenticeship bursary for underrepresented groups.

Ukraine: 2022 has seen the rise of displaced students coming from Ukraine to Ireland. My Department has worked tirelessly to facilitate these students to pursue Higher Education in Ireland. The majority of Irish students who lived in Ukraine were studying medicine or dentistry. The Irish Universities Association (IUA) has put in place a working group to allow Irish students returning from Ukraine to continue their education and integrate the relevant programme at the correct level. My Department has also introduced Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses for Ukrainian people to allow them to progress their education and skills while in Ireland. This will greatly benefit Ukrainian people gaining Temporary Protection in Ireland.

Further Education: Following on from the findings of a review conducted by an independent expert panel, I announced plans to switch to an outcome-based funding model for further education and training (FET) in July. This will allow for a simplified approach to funding education and training boards (ETBs), while new funding models will allow more flexible spending and learner-driven education. There is now also the '5-pot' structure which provides students with more autonomy and flexibility.

In August, my Department announced 13 projects to be funded around the country under the Further Education and Training Strategic Infrastructure investment Fund. SOLAS and the HEA have been allocated a total of €17.2m in additional capital investment which will allow for the development of further training capacity, including the development of two large training hubs dedicated to electrical training for the next three years; expansion of electrical, plumbing and carpentry programmes across further and higher education; the construction of electrical workshops at Kilkenny and Carlow ETB and the development of a training facility in Donegal, along with the expansion of electrical apprenticeships in ATU Donegal and MTU Kerry.

Research and Innovation

Impact 2030 – Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy: In May, the Government approved Impact 2030. The main purpose of this national strategy is to guarantee that Ireland's investment in research and innovation has the greatest impact on the broadest range of people as possible.

Innovate for Ireland: In July, I, along with Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced Innovate for Ireland, an ambitious partnership between industry and government. The State will invest several million euros over a number of years, subject to matching funds from private investors, to attract and keep research talent. The Innovate for Ireland initiative's initial phase aims to draw up to 400 PhD students of the highest calibre to Ireland to conduct research on important national and international issues like climate change and adaptation, global health and pandemics, water scarcity, the digital society, and cyber-security.