Written Answers Nos. 582-601
582. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The number of additional purpose-built student accommodations beds that have been added since the launch of the National Student Accommodation Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3846/21]
View answer584. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the breakdown between higher education institute-owned accommodation and private sector accommodation in terms of beds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3848/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 582 and 584 together.
According to a HEA report on supply and demand of student accommodation published in 2017, in 2014 the breakdown of HEI-owned and privately owned student accommodation was as follows:
|
HEI-owned |
Private |
Total |
|
11,114 |
20,182 |
31,296 |
My Department began tracking the completion of student accommodation bedspaces after the launch of Rebuilding Ireland in 2016. The National Student Accommodation Strategy (NSAS) set out a target of 7,000 additional bedspaces to be completed by Q4 2019. This was surpassed, with more than 8,000 additional bedspaces being completed by the end of 2019. As of Q4 2020, the number of additional bedspaces completed stands at 10,742. The number of PBSA bedspaces completed per year since July 2016 can be seen in the table below:
|
Year |
Private |
HEI-owned |
Total |
|
2016 |
478 |
650 |
1128 |
|
2017 |
1478 |
0 |
1478 |
|
2018 |
2100 |
429 |
2529 |
|
2019 |
2961 |
250 |
3211 |
|
2020 |
2396 |
0 |
2396 |
|
Total |
9413 |
1329 |
10742 |
583. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the average rent per student in purpose-built student accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3847/21]
View answerThis information is not available in my Department, as information on rent paid by students for purpose-built student accommodation is not collected.
585. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on calls by students and student unions to reduce university fees by 30% given that students are under severe financial pressure with the current Covid-19 pandemic to afford their college course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3871/21]
View answerThe fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the student's access route including previous education.
Higher education institutions are autonomous institutions as provided for in legislation. The determination, as to the total level of fees to be charged for undergraduate and postgraduate course is a matter for each institution in accordance with its own particular operational conditions and circumstances in ensuring quality education provision.
Higher education institutions report that the actual cost of delivering such programmes has not reduced as a consequence of the pandemic and have experienced a range of additional costs in continuing to deliver programmes during the unique circumstances of the pandemic.
I am very aware of the difficulties facing students during this pandemic. In general there is a real requirement in these exceptional times to have a responsive approach to student needs wherever possible and it is important to acknowledge that HEIs have to date shown enormous willingness to be responsive in numerous ways. I would encourage all students to engage with their institution to discuss any issues in relation to their course, including fees.
In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students, financial assistance will be provided in academic year 2020/21 to all students who avail of SUSI grants and to all EU full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students attending publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state.
Under this initiative students who avail of the SUSI grant will receive a €250 top-up in their grant and students who do not avail of the grant but attend publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state can reduce by €250 any outstanding student contribution fee payments or receive a €250 credit note for their institution.
This builds on the additional supports announced in July including a doubling of the Student Assistance Fund, a €15 million technology fund for devices for students in further and higher education and an additional €3m provided for investment in supports for mental health services and well-being initiatives.
586. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he plans to provide a financial support package to struggling families and students who cannot receive refunds from private accommodation providers excluding the student assistance fund. [3878/21]
View answerI am conscious of the challenges faced by students regarding student accommodation this year due to both financial pressures, and the blended learning format of the 2020/21 academic year.
The Deputy will be aware that the university sector has been actively engaging with students on the issue of accommodation refunds. As a result of the decision to minimise on-site teaching, all universities have confirmed that students who opted to leave their university-owned student accommodation as a result reduced on-campus activity will be offered refunds or rental credits. The processing of these refunds is a matter for the universities themselves, and any student who wishes to receive a refund for their on-campus accommodation should engage directly with their university’s accommodation office.
In the case of privately-owned student accommodation, I am urging providers to be flexible in finding solutions given the circumstances that students find themselves. There are, however, no powers available to me under the current legal framework to direct any particular course of action. Refund or cancellation policies in student accommodation should be set out in the license agreement signed at the beginning of the academic year. In the first instance students should engage with their accommodation provider to see if an arrangement can be reached. If this is not possible, students have access to the Dispute Resolution Services of the Residential Tenancies Board.
I am of course very conscious of the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our students. In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students, financial assistance will be provided in academic year 202/21 to all students who avail of SUSI grants and to all EU full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students attending publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state.
Under this initiative students who avail of the SUSI grant will receive a €250 top-up in their grant and students who do not avail of the grant but attend publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state can reduce by €250 any outstanding student contribution fee payments or receive a €250 credit note for their institution.
Additionally Budget 2021 provides further funding to enhance SUSI grant supports for post-grads and increase support for the PATH access initiative. In July I announced a range of additional student supports including a doubling of the Student Assistance Fund, and a €15 million technology fund for devices for students.
The combined impact of these supports and initiatives highlight the strength of the Government's commitment to supporting students in meeting the costs of third level education.
587. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the arrangements in place for students not in receipt of a SUSI grant residing in the State and studying in Northern Ireland to receive the €250 Covid-19 payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3917/21]
View answerIn recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students the Government has approved once off funding of €50m to provide additional financial assistance in this academic year.
The funding was provided in Budget 2021, in recognition of the exceptional situation they have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial assistance will be provided to all SUSI eligible students and to EU full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students attending publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state.
The scheme will ensure students;
- Who avail of the SUSI grant, including students abroad, will receive €250 top-up in their grant;
- Students who do not avail of the grant but attend publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state can reduce by €250 any outstanding student contribution fee payments or receive a €250 credit note for their institution;
- In a small number of cases, alternative arrangements will be made for the payment of the monies to students at the discretion of institutions.
The latter two options are designed to ensure students who are not in receipt of SUSI benefit from the measure. It is also the intention that these address circumstances where students are in final year, have paid their contribution fee and may not be on campus.
Irish/EU/EEA students partaking in courses in other countries who are in receipt of SUSI support are eligible for the payment if they are attending approved SUSI courses in approved higher education institutions within the EU. However other EU fulltime students outside of the SUSI system must be registered in a publicly funded higher education provider in the State to avail of this allocation.
In terms of other Irish nationals studying abroad, the provision of supports to Irish citizens based on nationality alone with the exclusion of other EU nationals would be contrary to EU law. It is therefore not possible to provide supports based on Irish citizenship alone. Instead the measure applies to all of these qualifying for SUSI grants, wherever they are studying and those of EU nationality at publicly funded higher education institutions in the State. Additionally a key administrative feature of the fund is that it is being implemented with the assistance of publicly funded institutions in the State under the remit of my Department.
The main support available to assist students with the cost of higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. Students attending approved undergraduate courses in Northern Ireland can apply for a maintenance grant provided they meet the terms and conditions of the Student Grant Scheme. There is also a special derogation contained within the Student Support Act 2011 which provides supports for postgraduate students attending courses in Northern Ireland. Such students may be eligible for assistance towards their postgraduate fees up to the maximum fees limit of €6,270 or a Postgraduate Fee Contribution of €2,000 subject to satisfying the terms and conditions of the Student Grant Scheme 2020. There is no other provision under the student grant scheme for the payment of fees to students studying outside of the State.
Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for certain approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners on www.revenue.ie.
Students may also wish to contact the relevant college in Northern Ireland for advice on the type and range of supports that are available in that particular college.
588. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of applicants to the CAO that did not receive an offer in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3919/21]
View answerUniversities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous and determine their own procedures for admission. The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on their behalf.
Decisions on admissions are made by the higher education institutions who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. Therefore neither I nor my Department have a function in relation to such matters and information on application figures is held by the CAO, not by my Department.
According to figures published by the CAO, 61,309 applicants received at least one offer as part of the 2020 application cycle, meaning 81% of the 78,168 applicants received an offer. This is an increase on 2019 when 61,309 (78%) of 77,706 applicants received an offer.
The following revised reply was received on 29 January 2021.
According to figures published by the CAO, 63,858 applicants received at least one offer as part of the 2020 application cycle, meaning 82% of the 78,168 applicants received an offer. This is an increase on 2019 when 61,309 (79%) of 77,706 applicants received an offer.
589. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the additional 2,000 undergraduate places secured in the budget for the academic year 2021-2022 are separate from and in addition to the maintenance of all places added in for the academic year 2020-2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3920/21]
View answer590. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide additional detail on the circa 5,000 additional places for higher education referenced in the Budget 2021 expenditure report; if this figure includes postgraduate and international students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3921/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 589 and 590 together.
I am conscious of the impact that Covid-19 is having on the leaving certificate class of 2021, and will take action as necessary to ensure that a full range of further and higher education options are available to them.
In 2020 more students than ever before were offered a place in higher education with more than 49,000 accepting an offer of a place. There is no indication that a higher number of students than usual opted to defer their place to the 2021 academic year, and given the large numbers of students who have been accommodated in higher education this year it is feasible that the numbers of students reapplying to the CAO next year on the basis of Leaving Certificate results from prior years will be lower in 2021 than previously.
Funding was provided in Budget 2021 to both sustain additional undergraduate places and address demographic growth pressures. €20 million was provided to fund the approx. 2,300 additional places created in 2020, while €18 million was provided to create over 2,000 places to address demographic pressures. These places are in addition to the 1,330 additional places commencing in 2021, funded through the Human Capital Initiative Pillar 2, which will be on undergraduate courses in areas of identified skills needs.
I know how difficult a time it has been for students and parents, and my Department will be closely examining a number of indicators of demand for higher education, in order to assess if there will be a need to create further places.
591. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the demographic trend in the Department of Education report Projection of Demand for Full-Time Third-Level Education 2018 – 2040 published in November 2018 are the most up-to-date and the projections currently being used by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3922/21]
View answer593. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of additional third-level places that will be needed in the coming academic year to meet the demographic demand based on both scenario 1 and scenario 3 of the Department of Education report Projection of Demand for Full-Time Third-Level Education 2018 – 2040 published in November 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3924/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 591 and 593 together.
The Projections of Demand for Full-Time Third-Level Education 2018 – 2040, published in November 2018, are the most recent projections currently available for higher education. It is intended to publish an updated set of projections for higher education later this year.
The scenarios outlined in the projections are driven by two key variables - the projected transfer rate from post-primary to higher education, and the projected increase in international students. Scenario 1, which estimated a steady transfer rate and a moderate increase in international enrolments, projects enrolments of 199,258 in 2021. Scenario 3, which predicts an increased transfer rate and a significant increase in international enrolments projects enrolments of 203,956 in 2021. These enrolments include both undergraduate and postgraduate full-time students, and represent an increase of 13,784 and 18,482 respectively on full-time enrolments in 2018 which is the latest year for which data is available.
However these projections were developed several years prior to the current pandemic, and therefore do not take into account the impact that COVID-19 has had on demand for higher education. There is more volatility than usual in demand for higher education due to factors such as reduced opportunities in the economy, and uncertainty around students travelling internationally both to and from Ireland. My Department will continue to monitor demand for higher education carefully, and take action as necessary to ensure the availability of a full range of further and higher education options for the class of 2021.
592. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of additional third-level places at undergraduate and postgraduate level that have been added since the Department of Education published the Projection of Demand for Full-Time Third-Level Education 2018 – 2040 in November 2018; the breakdown based on Irish, EU, international non-EU and postgraduate students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3923/21]
View answerThe latest year for which finalised enrolment figures are available is the 2018/2019 academic year. Enrolments for 2018, along with enrolments for 2017 which were used as the baseline for the Projections of Demand for Full-Time Third-Level Education are attached. These figures are taken from the statistics section of the HEA's website: https://hea.ie/statistics/
594. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he plans to reduce third-level fees for the 2020-2021 academic year or partly compensate students or their parents for this cost given that all learning is now online and families are financially stretched at the moment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3939/21]
View answer595. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if third-level students who did not qualify for free fees will receive a refund of their student contribution fees in view of the fact that the majority of students have been forced to move to online learning following Covid-19 restrictions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3973/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 594 and 595 together.
In considering this issue, it is important to note that the State currently provides very substantial financial support to undergraduate students in higher education towards the cost of their studies. This support has played a very significant role in facilitating access to and growth in higher education. What was previously the preserve of a relatively small proportion of the school leaving population is now much more widely available, as reflected in the current transfer rate from second to third level.
This commitment is demonstrated through the Free Fees Schemes under which the Exchequer currently contributes €340m to meeting the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate students in higher education.
Under the Department’s free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate Higher Education students. Students pay a student contribution of €3,000 per annum which can be paid in instalments.
All students eligible for the scheme receive state support whereby the Exchequer pays the cost of tuition fees exclusive of the student contribution. In addition, the Exchequer pays the student contribution of €3,000 per annum in full or part, through SUSI, for approximately 44% of students eligible for free fees at a cost of over €180m.
Under Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID all further and higher education institutions will deliver the majority of their classes online with only essential activities held on site. While I appreciate that this is disappointing for students who had hoped to have as much time on campus as possible, these measures were necessary to support halting the spread of the Coronavirus.
I am of course very conscious of the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our students. In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students, financial assistance will be provided in academic year 202/21 to all students who avail of SUSI grants and to all EU full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students attending publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state.
Under this initiative students who avail of the SUSI grant will receive a €250 top-up in their grant and students who do not avail of the grant but attend publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state can reduce by €250 any outstanding student contribution fee payments or receive a €250 credit note for their institution.
Additionally Budget 2021 provides further funding to enhance SUSI grant supports for post-grads and increase support for the PATH access initiative. In July I announced a range of additional student supports including a doubling of the Student Assistance Fund, and a €15 million technology fund for devices for students.
The combined impact of these supports and initiatives highlight the strength of the Government's commitment to supporting students in meeting the costs of third level education.
596. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the specific funding streams available to local authorities to apply for; the amount that has been given by county; the amount awarded under each scheme in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4057/21]
View answerPrior to the establishment of Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), the Student Grant Scheme was administered by the Educational Training Boards and Local Authorities. Undergraduate students whose application for student grant commenced with the Local authorities prior to 2012 remain with the Local authority. The local authorities continue to process renewal applications on a transitionary basis.
The data in the attached table encompasses funding for student grants to the Local authorities in the format requested by the Deputy.
|
YEAR |
Clare Co. Co |
Galway Co. Co. |
Donegal Co. Co. |
Louth Co. Co. |
Total |
|
2018 |
€23,608.03 |
€12,908.09 |
€9,291.39 |
------- |
€45,807.51 |
|
2019 |
------ |
€2,500.00 |
------ |
€3,000.00 |
€5,500.00 |
|
2020 |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
597. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if instruction has been given to higher education institutions on relaxing fee payment timelines with consideration to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on students and their families’ financial situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4091/21]
View answerHigher Education Institutions (HEIs) are governed by the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technologies Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Within the meaning of these Acts, HEIs are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs including dealing with policy and procedure in relation to fee collection. My Department therefore has no role in relation to such matters.
However, I am very aware of the difficulties facing students during this pandemic. In general there is a real requirement in these exceptional times to have a responsive approach to student needs wherever possible and it is important to acknowledge that HEIs have to date shown enormous willingness to be responsive in numerous ways. I would encourage all students to engage with their institution to discuss any issues in relation to their course, including fees.
I am of course very conscious of the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our students. In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students, financial assistance will be provided in academic year 2020/21 to all students who avail of SUSI grants and to all EU full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students attending publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state.
Under this initiative students who avail of the SUSI grant will receive a €250 top-up in their grant and students who do not avail of the grant but attend publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state can reduce by €250 any outstanding student contribution fee payments or receive a €250 credit note for their institution.
Additionally Budget 2021 provides further funding to enhance SUSI grant supports for post-grads and increase support for the PATH access initiative. In July I announced a range of additional student supports including a doubling of the Student Assistance Fund, and a €15 million technology fund for devices for students.
598. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps he will take to engage with course directors in third-level institutions to discuss ongoing concerns particularly in relation to practical aspects of course work that has either been restricted or completely cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. [4152/21]
View answerAt present, the Level 5 measures designate higher and further education as essential insofar as onsite presence is required for education activities that cannot be held remotely. In overall terms, the sectors have rapidly adjusted to a more restrictive environment again, with all further and higher education institutions conducting the vast majority of their provision online. The balance between on-site and online provision has been subject to continuous change in order to safeguard students, staff and the communities in which institutions are located.
Reflecting the recent deterioration in the Covid-19 situation, FET and HE providers are adapting and using their discretion to restrict onsite attendance further, only allowing the most essential work to take place onsite. Local assessment on onsite activities will focus on activities that are not capable of being delivered through alternative means and are time-critical for students and learners during this period.
There is ongoing engagement on the position with relevant institutions and stakeholders in the light of experience and the progress of the disease and planning for the remainder of the academic year. My Department is working with all stakeholders to identify mitigating actions which can be implemented.
599. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will address the concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied) in respect of social care students and their ongoing difficulty fulfilling placements.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4200/21]
View answer602. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the alternatives being put in place to give an alternative for placement in 2021 for social care for second and third year students or reduce the placement hours from 400 to 200 hours (details supplied). [4240/21]
View answer605. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to address the issue of social care students who are unable to complete their placement requirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4317/21]
View answer606. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will work with CORU to provide alternatives to placement for social care students in 2021 only; if he will consider with CORU reducing the number of placement hours from 400 to 250 in 2021 to reduce the significant pressure on students and organisations that are finding it difficult to accommodate same in view of the Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4333/21]
View answer607. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the difficulty facing third-level social care students with regard to securing the obligatory hours for course placement during Covid-19 restrictions; the intervention his Department is considering in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4356/21]
View answer610. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that social care students are currently unable to complete the mandatory 400 hours of placement required to progress in their studies due to Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4467/21]
View answer611. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to deal with the issue of social care students who are currently unable to complete the mandatory 400 hours of placement required to progress in their studies due to Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4468/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 599, 602, 605, 606, 607, 610 and 611 together.
I am aware that issues have arisen in relation to placement hours both for students of Social Care programmes and for placements more generally as the restrictions to combat the spread of Covid-19 have tightened. My Department is monitoring developments in this regard very closely.
From the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, significant work has been undertaken by a stakeholder group chaired by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), and including the representative bodies of education providers and students to address issues relating to the maintenance of the quality and standards of:
- teaching and learning,
- assessment, and
- qualifications.
This group has focused on the implementation of alternative arrangements and methods of delivery, where appropriate and necessary, to meet both these standards and, where applicable, the educational accreditation criteria established by Professional Recognition Bodies (PRBs).
In the case of Social Care, the awards standards in place for these qualifications reflect the accreditation criteria and placement requirements that have been set out by CORU, Ireland's multi-profession Health and Social Care Regulator and consequently the relevant PRB for this profession.
Since March 2020, QQI has facilitated engagement between members of the stakeholders group and CORU which have taken place in parallel to direct engagements between CORU and individual education providers. The goal of these engagements has been to ensure that necessary alternative arrangements are in place to maintain the standards of education and training in this area and that these issues are actively managed. These efforts are to ensure that students can progress in their programmes from one academic year into the next, or, where relevant, graduate with the necessary professional competencies that have been set out by CORU.
Substantial efforts have been made by CORU, QQI and educational institutions to identify and implement flexible solutions for students up to this point. However, further efforts are now necessary.
The current timing and the likely duration of Covid restrictions has created greater disruption and uncertainty in this space than anticipated and has substantially impacted on the expected level of available social care placements. It is in this context that I have asked QQI, supported by my Department, to facilitate intensified engagements between CORU, education providers and relevant stakeholders on this issue. The focus of these engagements will be to identify solutions that can be swiftly implemented for the student cohort who are most impacted in the near term while also identifying flexible approaches that can be readily adopted within the system in the medium to longer term as the response to the pandemic evolves and changes.
These engagements will facilitate a dialogue among stakeholders in developing these solutions and, most importantly, will ensure transparency and clarity for those students studying social care.
600. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the current number of CAO accounts to date; and the way in which this information compares to CAO accounts made in 2019 and 2020. [4216/21]
View answerUniversities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous and determine their own procedures for admission. The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on their behalf.
Decisions on admissions are made by the higher education institutions who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. Therefore neither I nor my Department have a function in relation to such matters and information on application figures is held by the CAO, not by my Department.
According to figures released by the CAO 66,457 applications had been received by 20th January, the deadline for availing of the reduced early bird fee of €30. The number of applications reached at this stage in 2020 was 61,387, meaning that there is an increase of 5,000 over this time last year.
However it remains to be seen if this represents a significant increase in applications, or a change in application timelines. As can be seen from the figures below, the 61,387 applications last year represented a 1,700 increase on applications the year before as at 20th January. However by the closing date of 1st February applications in 2020 and 2019 were equivalent.
|
- |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
|
Applications as at 20th Jan |
66,457 |
61,387 |
59,671 |
|
Applications as at 1st Feb |
N/A |
73,048 |
73,157 |
My Department will continue to closely monitor indicators of demand for higher education in 2021, in order to assess if there is a need to create further places.
601. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps he is taking to support applicants to the HPAT who do not have access to dependable Wi-Fi or the necessary digital tools required to take part in the assessment which has moved online due to Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4217/21]
View answerThe HPAT is independently administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the universities’ medical schools and the RCSI. The selection criteria and process for admission to medical schools is a matter for those institutions in line with their statutory autonomy in relation to academic affairs. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the administration or running of the HPAT.
It has been a significant priority for me, in the context of the shift to online teaching and learning that has arisen from the public health restrictions, to provide support to students to facilitate connectivity and to examine options designed to seek to minimise the extent to which connectivity challenges act as a barrier to full participation in higher and further education.
The delivery through the National Broadband Plan of high-speed internet connectively nationwide will ultimately provide a solution to current differences in broadband experience for students and learners. It should be noted that my Department does not have a role in the provision of residential broadband infrastructure. Provision for such services fall to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and this is being addressed through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan Intervention Area. In the interim there are initiatives across a number of Government Departments to facilitate connection through community-based broadband hubs and liaison with telecommunication providers on packages, including unlimited data.
As part of the €210m investment programme underpinning the implementation of the Digital Strategy for Schools, the Department of Education provided €100m in grant funding to schools to address their ICT needs during 2020. Schools were advised that they can use this funding to support the continuity of teaching and learning should a period of partial or full school closure occur arising from Public Health advice owing to Covid-19 restrictions as is the current situation. Schools can use this funding, inter alia, to acquire software applications or platforms to enable remote learning and communications, and to provide for devices to be loaned to teachers and learners in particular where needed to enable engagement with remote learning. Funding for ICT is issued directly to schools given that schools are best placed to determine the ICT needs of their school community. In addition my Department directly funds the provision of broadband connectivity for schools at a cost of some €13m per annum. School buildings will remain open to allow staff access where this is essential to facilitate remote learning.
