Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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460. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plan to provide pay parity for tutors in the adult education sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10273/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for this question.

In March 2024, SIPTU and TUI, the unions representing tutors, agreed to a proposal to formally establish a new grade of adult educator with a standardised pay scale aligned with the Youthreach Resource Person grade. This scale has 13 points and two Long Service Increments. This proposal allows for incremental progression and a career path for tutors in the further education and training sector. The grade was formally established on 22nd April 2024 when the Department of Education issued an information note (ESR ETB 0001/2024) to the Education and Training Boards with details of the new grade.

By way of background on the establishment of this new grade for the Deputy, my Department, along with colleagues in the Department of Education, Department of Public Expenditure, Education and Training Boards Ireland, and the unions have done considerable work over a number of years to arrive at an agreement in relation to the new grade and its implementation process.

A claim with several parts from SIPTU and TUI to regularise employment contracts for tutors dates back to before the Haddington Road Agreement in 2013. One part of the claim was resolved in 2017 with the introduction of a method for awarding Contracts of Indefinite Duration (CIDs) across ETBs. A second part was resolved in 2019 when leave schemes, paid leave and access to public sector pension schemes were introduced. The outstanding parts of the claim, relating to a standardised pay scale and terms of employment and demarcation between tutors and teachers, were referred to the Labour Court.

In March 2020, the Labour Court recommended that the official side make an offer of a pay scale alignment to tutors in the sector. The Court accepted that, because of differences in the roles, qualifications and regulatory frameworks, this could not involve alignment with teachers’ pay scales and terms of employment. The proposal for the new grade of Adult Educator was developed within these parameters in consultation with the relevant unions.

As the Deputy will appreciate, there are established mechanisms in which I and other Ministers and our Departments must operate in industrial relations.

In relation to the implementation process, each tutor has to decide whether to remain on existing pay rates or move to the new pay scale. Questions which pertain to employment including contracts should be directed to employing ETB. For any outstanding questions or concerns, tutors are advised to contact the local representatives of their trade unions.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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461. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills given the obvious shortage on the ground of qualified trades people, her plans to further invest in the provision of apprenticeship training for young students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10361/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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In response to rising demand for apprenticeships from employers and learners, my Department secured a significant investment of €77.4 million for the apprenticeship system in Budget 2025. This represents the single largest investment in core apprenticeship funding since the formation of my department in 2020.

There are now over 8,000 craft training places in Education and Training Boards, up from 5,600 in 2023.

The number and variety of apprenticeship programmes has also increased. At the end of 2020 the year in which the Department was established, there were 58 national apprenticeship programmes – 25 Craft programmes and 33 Consortia-led programmes. At present, there are 77 national apprenticeship programmes – 25 Craft programmes and 52 Consortia-led programmes. This represents a 33% increase in the overall number of apprenticeships since 2020 with more due to come online in 2025.

It remains my department’s priority to maintain this momentum, to continue growing the apprenticeship system and to ensure that there are enough training places for current and future skills needs.

Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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462. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the current situation with respect to the payment of non-EU third level fees for Irish citizens educated outside of the EU and returning to study at third level in Ireland; if his Department has any engagement with Irish third level institutions in such instances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10307/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The higher education tuition fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety of factors including the type of course and the student's access route. The assessment of a student’s application and the determination of the appropriate fee rate is a function of the institution attended.

There are typically two rates of fee, an EU Rate or a non-EU fee rate. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs. This includes setting the criteria a person must meet to be regarded as an EU or a Non-EU tuition fee student within the relevant institution's own tuition fee policies.

The criteria may vary by institution and I understand that an institution’s criteria will generally include specified nationality and/or residency requirements that students would be expected to meet to qualify for the EU rate of fee.

As the Deputy will appreciate, it is not possible for my Department to intervene in the fee policy of any autonomous institution. Where a student has a query in relation to an institution's fee policy, they should contact the institution directly for advice appropriate to their own individual circumstances.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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463. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the Statutory Instruments he envisages being brought forward and signed by his Department during the first six months of 2025; to highlight in particular those concerned with the transposition and or implementation of further implementation of EU law requirements; those Statutory Instruments concerned with commencement of existing legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10331/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The following are to be brought forward and signed by my Department during the first six months of 2025 but do not relate to transposition to EU Law:

• Student Grant Scheme 2025
• Student Support Regulations 2025
• Student Part-Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses 2025
• Student Part-Time Fee Regulations for Specified Undergraduate Courses 2025

Additionally, my department is in the process of transposing amendments to SI 8 2017 of Directive 2024/505. This is an amendment related to Romanian Nursing qualifications. This will be completed in Q2 2025.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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464. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what plans he has for grants or other financial assistance for students who are studying primary school teaching outside of the public system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10464/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Student Grant Scheme and the Student Part-Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses are statutory based schemes administered by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). To qualify for student supports under the scheme, students must be attending an ‘approved course’ at an ‘approved institution’.

The definition of an approved institution is set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 3 of the Student Support Regulations/Student Part-Time Fee Regulations for Specified Undergraduate Courses 2024. In this regard, the inclusion of any new institutions require the Minister to have regard to the policies and principles as set out in section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and seek the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

The list of approved institutions is predominantly populated by publicly funded institutions. While there are a small number of private institutions who have certain courses approved on the list these are categorised as ‘not for profit’ institutions. Apart from the new Technological Universities prescribed under the Technological Universities Act 2018, no additional institutions have been added to the scheme since the passing of the 2011 Act.

In the context of limited public funding and competing priorities, student support funding is currently prioritised at full-time students undertaking study in approved publicly funded institutions and part-time fee supports for specified undergraduate courses.

It is open to higher education institutions that operate on a 'for profit' basis to use their own resources to provide financial supports to any of their students that they consider to be in particular need.

In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may also be available in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from the student’s local Tax Office or from the Revenue Commissioners website, www.revenue.ie.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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465. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the budget allocated to the MentorsWork scheme in 2024 and 2025, in tabular form. [10473/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to supporting the talent needs of the Irish SME sector.

Skillnet Ireland established the MentorsWork scheme in 2020, in partnership with the Small Firms Association. MentorsWork connects SME owners and managers throughout Ireland with experienced mentors, helping them navigate business challenges such as strategic planning, financial management, digital transformation and examining new business models, and plan for growth. The scheme provides bespoke guidance, advice and mentorship for a SME business owner/manager.

Skillnet Ireland have advised my officials that, in 2024, MentorsWork supported over 1,370* small business owners/managers within 1,025* SMEs across many sectors of the economy nationwide

Through the National Training Fund from my Department, Skillnet Ireland awarded the following budget to the MentorsWork scheme in 2024 and 2025:

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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466. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of capital investment allocated to each technological university in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [10474/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has disbursed almost €140m in capital funding to the Technological University Sector since 2023 under a number of capital programmes including the Higher Education Strategic and Infrastructural Fund (HESIF), the Infrastructure and Refurbishment Fund (IURF), the Energy Efficiency Decarbonisation Pathway Programme (EEDPP), the Devolved Capital Grant, the Apprenticeship Programme Grant, the Higher Education Research and Equipment Grant (HEREG) etc.

Details of amounts disbursed to each Technological University in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025 are provided in the attached table.

In addition, significant capital investment is ongoing in relation to operational Public Private Partnership projects delivered for Technological University Dublin at Grangeorman, the National Maritime College of Ireland, and Cork School of Music at Munster Technological University. Under Bundle I of the Higher Education PPP programme, TU Dublin Blanchardstown Teaching Building, IADT Dun Laoghaire Digital Media Building and TUS Athlone STEM Facility also commenced service in recent months.

Capital Payments to TU from 2023- 2025

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Youthreach is designed to offer second-chance education to young people who are aged 16 to 20 and have either left school early or are at risk of not completing their formal education. It is designed to provide a more flexible, supportive, and alternative learning environment compared to post-primary schools, helping participants to gain qualifications and skills that will support their future employment or further education opportunities.

Officials from my Department are continuing to engage with the TUI on the issue of alignment of the Youthreach and second-level academic year calendar. I understand that the most recent engagement took place last month. My officials are currently working on gathering the necessary information and analysis, and they plan to submit recommendations to me for consideration in advance of the next academic year.