Written answers
Thursday, 16 October 2025
Department of Education and Skills
- Student Accommodation
14. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of units of student accommodation that are owned by the universities at present in the State; the number that are planned to be... - Third Level Fees
17. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the student contribution fee will be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55507/25] - Capital Expenditure Programme
18. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the major capital projects that will be progressed in 2026 in the further education sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55938/25] - Further and Higher Education
19. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the work being carried out to create a single application process for apprenticeships, further and higher education; and... - Apprenticeship Programmes
20. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a disparity in pay exists in the way in which some craft apprentices are supported during their off-the-job phases of training, that... - Irish Language
21. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider setting out a target for the level students studying through the medium of Irish language at third level, considering the very... - Further and Higher Education
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... - Apprenticeship Programmes
24. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is possible to ensure apprentices are offered taught phases in facilities close to their home as often as possible. [55307/25] - Further and Higher Education
26. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he plans to provide further and higher education counselling through his Department for young adults seeking to progress into further... - Artificial Intelligence
27. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline his investment plan for research in the area of artificial intelligence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54274/25] - Budget 2026
28. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports available for students with disabilities in further education and training under Budget 2026.; and if he will make a statement on the... - Further and Higher Education
29. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures being taken by his Department to ensure ease of access to third level education for those with a disability and that the number of... - Third Level Costs
30. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of additional funding being provided under the Student Assistance Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55995/25] - Further and Higher Education
31. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the delivery of a university campus on the northside of Cork city. [55306/25] - Gender Balance
33. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department is working with the Department of Education and Youth to improve gender balance in STEM subject uptake at second level, with a... - Apprenticeship Programmes
34. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the implementation of the Public Service Apprenticeship Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55561/25] - Adult Education Provision
35. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the provision of a new building for an adult education centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the... - Apprenticeship Programmes
36. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the engagements he has had with a union (details supplied) representing apprentices since becoming Minister in 2024; and if he will make a... - Student Accommodation
37. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details on the missed targets in the last accommodation strategy; the reason this occurred; the reason there was no mention of this in Budget... - Equality Issues
38. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the specific measures being taken to address the underrepresentation of women in certain STEM fields, particularly engineering, computer science... - Further and Higher Education
39. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made to date in increasing the number of places for Irish students in dentistry colleges in Cork and Dublin; and if he... - Apprenticeship Programmes
41. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans to introduce apprenticeships into further business sectors similar to the existing apprenticeship in insurance; and if he will... - Grant Payments
42. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of third level students who will benefit from increasing the SUSI income threshold from €115,000 to €120,000; and if he... - Apprenticeship Programmes
43. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to encourage more uptake in apprenticeships in skills necessary for the green transition; and if he will make a statement... - Grant Payments
46. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the work his Department is carrying out to assist independent students who have become estranged from their families after... - Education and Training Provision
47. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the FET strategy for 2025-2029 will be published and implemented. [56016/25] - Apprenticeship Programmes
48. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans to introduce apprenticeships into further business sectors similar to the existing apprenticeship in insurance; and if he will... - Student Accommodation
50. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the engagement he has had with the Residential Tenancies Board with regard to the student housing crisis since becoming Minister in 2024; and if... - Education and Training Provision
51. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made in the setting up of a hospitality education college at a site (details supplied) at Upper Park Road, Killarney;... - Third Level Fees
52. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will carry out a full review of affordability of third level fees for students who come from median household income; and if he will make a... - Community Training Centres
53. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to bring community training centre staff into public sector pay grades and pay and conditions; and if he will make a statement on the... - Apprenticeship Programmes
54. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the progress towards the PfG target of 12,500 annual apprenticeship registrations; and if he will make a statement... - Cross-Border Co-operation
56. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the recommendation from Universities Ireland, which was agreed by individual universities, to drop the requirement for four A-levels from... - Student Accommodation
57. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the work his Department has taken to advance the provision of purpose-built student accommodation at third-level... - Oideachas trí Ghaeilge
58. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills cé na bearta atá sé chun a dhéanamh chun tabhairt faoina laghad cúrsaí tríú leibhéal trí... - Third Level Costs
59. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the current SUSI income threshold and related grant supports for students from low and middle-income families in rural... - An Teanga Gaeilge
60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills cén plean atá aige chun a chinntiú go mbeidh dóthain céimithe inniúlacha a bhfuil Gaeilge acu ann chun gur... - Third Level Costs
61. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the engagements he has had with an organisation (details supplied) since August 2025 with regard to Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement... - Mental Health Services
62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the extensive waiting lists for mental health supports in third level institutions; the actions he will take to... - Further and Higher Education
63. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for further detail on the new 1,100 course places being provided under Budget 2026 in key health and social care professions; and if he will make... - Oideachas Tríú Leibhéal
64. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills cad iad na bearta atá á nglacadh ag a roinn chun cúrsaí tríú leibhéal trí Ghaeilge a leathnú i... - Further and Higher Education
65. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if funding has been allocated in Budget 2026 for the review into how students with disabilities are accommodated at third level; when the review... - Grant Payments
66. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he plans to review the operation of the student grant scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55562/25] - Education and Training Boards
67. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on a new building for college (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54273/25] - Education and Training Provision
68. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the Kilkenny further education and training centre. [56028/25] - Education and Training Boards
69. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on any progress being made on the funding issues at SOLAS and ETBs’ apprenticeship training programmes; and if he will... - Research Funding
70. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the proportion of his Department’s research budget which is allocated for new research versus earmarked or pre-committed to existing... - Apprenticeship Programmes
71. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the uptake of apprenticeships across the country in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56029/25] - Student Accommodation
72. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the national student accommodation strategy, which was due to be updated in 2024, and if he could provide a... - Education and Training Provision
73. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide clarification in relation to Local Training Initiative Operating Guidelines (details supplied); if this policy means that LTIs... - Apprenticeship Programmes
74. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of people currently employed to provide training to apprentices, by apprenticeship programme; and if he will make a statement on the... - Grant Payments
76. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who were awarded SUSI grants in the current academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55461/25]
No comments