Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the actions he has taken to develop more part-time curriculums across higher and further education; if he has increased funding for these courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2090/24]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The National Access Plan has called for more flexible forms of learning for target groups and those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. One of the priorities for Budget 2024 is reducing child poverty. We know that Education has the power to transform lives, lift people out of poverty and break down cycles of intergenerational poverty.

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.

Through sectoral engagements, there is an increased recognition that supporting part-time and blended learning has the potential to increase access to learning in the medium term, once existing reform commitments are embedded within the sector.

The fees associated with part-time programmes are a key barrier to higher education access and the expansion of fee support to part-time students has the potential to transform how education is accessed by those most in need.

As part of the tertiary package for Budget 2024, I secured €2 million of support for the part-time provision.

From September 2024, a pilot part-time fee grant will be available to provide support for students who are undertaking eligible undergraduate part-time programmes leading to a major award, both in-person, blended and online. These students would previously have been ineligible for a student grant.

The Scheme will be means tested and available to those with reckonable income under €55,924 and will be subject to satisfying certain criteria. This will benefit vulnerable cohorts and low-income families.

The Scheme is currently under development. My Department is currently engaging in further discussions with key stakeholders and Higher Education Institutions and communication will be provided in the next few months on the new Scheme and how to apply when the parameters have been agreed.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The proposed European Joint Degree programme is part of the European Universities initiative, which I support. The European Commission is currently engaged in a research project to establish possible approaches to a joint European Degree, and a communication from the Commission with proposals for the Member States to consider is expected in March or April 2024.

At that point, when the full details of the proposal are known, my officials will examine the implications of the proposals and establish a definitive position.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on plans to construct the Mayo College of Further Education at the Military Barracks in Castlebar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2011/24]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB (MSLETB) have been working with and supported by SOLAS in developing their preliminary business case proposal for Castlebar under the FET College of the Future Major Projects fund for the last number of months. The development of a robust Preliminary Business Case (PBC) is fundamental to the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines (Formerly known as the Public Spending Code guidelines).

Completed preliminary business cases including that of Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB were to be submitted to SOLAS by the deadline of last Friday, the 12th of January.

In parallel to the development of their preliminary business case, Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB are also working to identify a preferred site for their proposal. Officials from my department and SOLAS have met with MSLETB and the Local Authority representatives to progress this and SOLAS and the department await the outcome of this site identification process. My department and I are aware that the military barracks in Castlebar is one of the sites to be evaluated as part of this process.

The business case and site selection report will be evaluated under criteria such as value for money, affordability, priority alignment and strategic policy, in line with the requirements of the infrastructure guidelines,

Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB will be informed of the outcome of this evaluation process once it is completed.