Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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22. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the Mitchell Scholarship and the funding for it; if he is supportive of the aims and continuation of this fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54868/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My Department remains committed to the continuation of the George Mitchell Scholarship Programme.

In March 2024, the US-Ireland Alliance paused the recruitment of US scholars onto the programme. In March 2025, this pause in recruitment into the programme was extended for a further year.

My Department was advised by the President of the US-Ireland Alliance that the Alliance had ceased recruitment until there was a positive response to the Alliance's request that the Irish Government provide $32 million funding required for the programme's endowment notwithstanding that this is not permissible under its governing legislation, the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund Acts.

In June, 2025, officials from my Department met with representatives of the US-Ireland Alliance to press again for a re-commencement of the recruitment of US scholars on the basis of a review of the existing annual funding model that has underpinned the operation of the scholarship programme over recent years. However, the Alliance remained committed to the full funding of the endowment.

Following the meeting, a proposal is being prepared by my Department with the objective of enabling the re-establishment of the scholarship programme. My Department will engage further with the US-Ireland Alliance on this basis shortly.

Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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23. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has examined the opportunities of greater promotion of engineering careers to ensure there is a pivotal pipeline of engineering talent which is necessary to deliver key infrastructure in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55834/25]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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The Government is focused on equipping Ireland’s workforce with the skills required to deliver on national infrastructure priorities.

Workers are needed across the construction sector, and engineers will play a critical role in helping Ireland meet its construction targets.

To support this, an alternative delivery model for civil engineering has been developed to entice stronger uptake. Introduced in 2023, the Level 6 and Level 7 civil engineering apprenticeship programmes are designed to meet industry demand and offer new pathways into the profession outside of the traditional higher education entry route.

In tandem, a concerted effort is being made to attract more people into the construction sector - including engineering.

Research by my Department found a lack of knowledge and understanding of the industry and the roles available, a poor perception of the working environment and a belief that construction is not suitable for women.

In response, the Department is implementing the Careers in Construction Action Plan, which aims to minimise barriers, promote career opportunities, and make construction jobs more attractive to women.

Several key education and industry partners – including Engineers Ireland – have collaborated with my Department on updating the Action Plan, with the new plan to be published in the coming weeks.

Among the actions are initiatives including the Building Heroes peer-to-peer social media campaign and a documentary on careers in construction for second-level schools.

Together, these activities reflect a broad range of approaches aimed at encouraging more people into the construction sector and into vital roles such as engineering.