Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

742. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will liaise with the Minister for Health to ensure that the pilot Together All Programme, funded jointly by the Higher Education Authority and the Health Service Executive, can continue and be rolled out to all technological universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22495/23]

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

The Togetherall programme is jointly funded by the HEA and the HSE Mental Health Operations. This programme forms part of a broader HEA funded national project through PCHEI known as ‘Identify and Respond’ which includes the development of university staff training to identify and respond to at risk students.

The pilot Togetherall Programme provides a clinically moderated, 24/7 online peer-to-peer mental health community that empowers students to anonymously seek and provide support across Irish higher education institutions.

I launched the programme nationally on World Mental Health Day, 10th October 2022, 14 HEIs have implemented Togetherall in their university/college. As independent institutions, HEIs may choose to implement initiatives in accordance with their needs and some may already have other platforms in place.

To date the sector has not approached the HEA or DFHERIS with a formailsed request to roll the programme out beyond the period of the pilot. Should such a formalised request be received, a review of the pilot programme would be required. Procurement of any such programme on a long-term basis would need to be completed by the institutions involved in line with procurement rules.

The HEA delivers €2m per annum funding to HEIs to enable the delivery and enhancement of student mental health supports including service delivery through the recurrent funding model (RFAM).

In 2020, 2021 and 2022, an additional €3m per annum was provided to the HEIs to facilitate the enhancement of supports while institutions dealt with the challenges presented by the pandemic. Through this a number of national projects have been funded including supporting sector wide implementation of the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework and building capacity across the higher education system. I have also secured an additional €3m in funding for the 2023/2024 academic year.

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

743. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills where the legal ownership status of the designated SETU land purchase of 20.3 acres of the old Waterford crystal site stand; the present legal status regarding the ownership of this site; if due diligence is still ongoing; the possible delays that could be preventing the transfer of the site, given it was originally highlighted for sale in 2017 and was mentioned on the record of Dáil Éireann as an acquisition target by the Taoiseach in 2020 (details supplied); the further impediments that remain to legally transfer the site; the timeline to resolve same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22520/23]

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

On the 27^thMarch, I gave approval for the South East Technological University (SETU) to expand its presence in Waterford by agreeing to accept the vendor’s final reduced asking price for the 20.3 acre portion of the 37 acre Waterford Crystal site.

Having informed the Vendor of its acceptance of his final reduced asking price, SETU are now engaged in the site due diligence process.

Once the due diligence process is complete, the next stage of the process will be for SETU, through the Higher Education Authority, to seek my sanction to progress to the signing of contracts to purchase the Waterford Crystal site.

The co-location of the Waterford Crystal site with the existing Cork Road campus will enable SETU to consolidate much of their Waterford activities in one single city centre location. Furthermore, the purchase of this site satisfies a number of wider local and regional objectives through the reusing/ repurposing of a prominent brownfield site in the city.