Keira Keogh (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

15. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students from County Mayo who applied for SUSI grants in the past three years; the number of those applications that were approved; the breakdown of the type of SUSI supports awarded to students from County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26276/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The main support available to assist students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.

The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for SUSI to determine.

I am happy to send the full set of tables to the Deputy for their information, but I will provide some top level figures now:

- In 2022/23, 2,885 candidates with a home address in Mayo applied and 2,250 were awarded.

- In 2023/24, 3,387 applied and 2,890 were awarded

- In 2024/25, 3,147 applied and 2,655 were awarded. SUSI are still receiving applications and so these last figures are subject to change.

I will also attach a breakdown of awards for the record, but the largest cohorts, in order, in the most recent academic year 2024/25, were Band 1 standard maintenance, followed by the €500 student contribution grant, followed by special rate of maintenance.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

16. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the educational and space needs of the National College of Art and Design in Dublin’s Liberties for the students and the staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26194/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department works in close collaboration with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on the development of capital projects in line with masterplans for each institution. My Department is committed to supporting NCAD in addressing its infrastructure and capacity needs.

It is clear that there are significant infrastructure issues to be resolved on the campus and both the HEA and my Department are engaging closely to address this in the short and medium term.

The HEA has provided NCAD with capital funding over the last number of years to address immediate investment requirements. Immediate investment needs continue to be addressed as the foundation works for future development. The HEA has been engaging and supporting the institution in developing a full understanding of its infrastructure and space requirements.

In accordance with the Public Spending Code and the current Infrastructure Guidelines, the Institute has developed a Strategic Assessment Report and a Preliminary Business Case, which is the basis for ongoing engagement with my Department on a way forward. The project received approval to progress through the strategic assessment to the current Preliminary Business Case (PBC) stage, which is a critical point in the assessment of potential project proposals. This stage involves an in-depth assessment of the project which looks at demand analysis, options analysis, review of phasing potential and risk assessment. It provides the information required to inform decisions on the viability and desirability of public spending proposals.

NCAD has recently published a tender for Project Management services to support the next stage of the project and has also advertised for the role of Head of Capital Development. These roles will be key in the management and oversight of the next stage of the project which aims to address immediate and long-term infrastructure requirements of the Institution.

My Department and the HEA will continue to support and work closely with NCAD as this project progresses through the stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

17. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional training spaces created in the disciplines of occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and psychology within the third level sector for the 2025-2026 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26326/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Addressing shortages in critical health and social care professions is a key priority for my Department and for the Government as a whole.

An interdepartmental working group was established in April 2025, chaired by my Department along with senior representatives from the Department of Health, the HSE, the Department of Children, Equality and Disability, the Higher Education Authority and the Department of Education and Youth. This group is progressing work to expand student capacity in these critical therapy areas. The HEA has sought expressions of interest from Higher Education Institutions, to increase places in nine key disciplines as identified by the Department of Health. Options are being shortlisted for consideration and I will be discussing these matters at the forthcoming Cabinet Sub-Committee on Disabilities.

In tandem my Department is working closely with Health colleagues on wider healthcare expansion. I recently announced a new Pharmacy course in the University of Galway and a new dentistry programme in RCSI which are now open for 2025 applications on the CAO. Further expansion across a range of medicine, pharmacy and veterinary will come on stream in 2026. This expansion builds on existing progress in this area, with nearly 1,000 additional places created in health and social care programmes in recent years. Further additional places were provided in September 2024 including

• 15 additional Speech and Language Therapy places - Expansion of University of Galway BSc programme
• 40 additional Occupational Therapy places - Introduction of new BSc programme with 20 places in Occupation Therapy in UL and expansion of 20 places on University of Galway BSc Occupational Therapy programme
• 15 additional Podiatric Medicine places - Expansion of University of Galway BSc programme
• 10 additional Physiotherapy places - Expansion of RCSI BSc programme