Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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917. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons the level of additional funding provided to address the Funding the Future funding gap has reduced in recent budgets; the reasons the multiannual funding commitments announced in Budget 2025 in respect of closing that funding gap were not fully reflected in Budget 2026; whether he remains committed to fully addressing the annual core funding requirement identified in Funding the Future; and the timeframe within which this is expected to be achieved. [68548/26]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Funding the Future Framework published in May 2022, outlines the vision for how higher education will be funded and how this will support students, employers and wider society.

The Framework identified an amount of €307 million as representing the quantum of increase in core funding required to deliver enhanced performance, strategic reforms and strengthened quality of outcomes.

Over a number of years, additional core funding is being prioritised through the Estimates process to deliver on the increased level of funding identified in the framework and to improve system capacity to respond to national priorities.

Since the publication of Funding the Future, an additional €174 million in Exchequer and employer funding has been secured, alongside a commitment to provide a further €100 million from the National Training Fund (NTF) by 2030. This aligns with the Programme for Government commitment to “Close the core funding gap by unlocking the National Training Fund”.

It is anticipated that further Exchequer funding will be secured through future Estimates processes to support the delivery of these commitments and to address key priorities, including the expansion of healthcare places and the development of tertiary programmes.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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918. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review correspondence (details supplied) regarding students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68547/26]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy (APAC) is a private institution based in the United Kingdom and does not fall within the remit or regulatory oversight of the Department. A number of private education providers operate in Ireland without State accreditation. Such providers may offer programmes accredited by overseas institutions or bodies, or indeed programmes that are not formally accredited. There is no legislative impediment to such arrangements. It is also important to note that play therapy is not a regulated profession in Ireland and there is no statutory regulator with responsibility for overseeing the profession. Play Therapy Ireland is an independent professional body and is not subject to State oversight.

Under Irish law, universities such as UCC are autonomous institutions. The Universities Act 1997 and the Technological Universities Act 2018 provide higher education institutions with responsibility for regulating their own academic affairs, including decisions relating to courses, awards and academic standards. As a result, neither the Minister nor the Department has a role in determining the academic arrangements of individual institutions.

I have been informed that under an agreement between UCC and the Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy (Ireland) Limited, which concluded in March 2026, the following UCC-accredited programmes were offered, with APAC Ireland delivering elements of the courses:

• Postgraduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills; and
• Postgraduate Diploma in Play Therapy.

UCC has advised that it did not register any students to commence studies on the Postgraduate Diploma programme in September 2026. Accordingly, those arrangements were entered into directly between the individuals concerned and APAC and did not form part of the programmes delivered by APAC under its agreement with UCC. UCC has indicated that its priority remains supporting students who are currently registered on UCC programmes. The University has communicated directly with affected students and has stated its intention to take all reasonable steps to enable those students to complete their studies and, where possible, achieve the relevant UCC qualification.

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the independent State agency responsible for the external quality assurance of higher and further education and training providers. QQI has responsibility for oversight of providers operating within the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), including matters relating to access, transfer and progression arrangements for learners. QQI is actively engaging with UCC on matters arising.

Currently, the Department is monitoring the situation closely and students have been encouraged to keep in contact with UCC for any developments.