Written Answers Nos. 55-88
61. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his response to the recent protests by organisations (details supplied) to the rates of fees in third level institutions. [58609/21]
View answerI have engaged closely with student representatives on issues concerning the costs of higher education for students.
It is important to be aware of the support available for students including state funding of the registration fee for an estimated 45% of eligible free fees students. In fact my Department will spend over €400 million on student supports in 2021 including the Student Grant scheme which assists over 74,000 students annually to access third level education.
I am deeply aware of the strain that the rising cost of living and the continuing pandemic has placed on our students. I have prioritised addressing the concerns of students in the budgetary and policy decisions which I have taken. In doing so, I decided to concentrate on the most impactful measures which will benefit the greatest numbers of people and those most in need of support.
In Budget 2022 I made the first changes to SUSI grant rates and eligibility thresholds in a decade. An additional €200 in the rate will benefit all students in receipt of a SUSI maintenance payment. The change in the thresholds of €1,000 and adjacency rates will widen eligibility and provide higher rates of grant to many already in the scheme. As a full year cost this package of funding will provide an additional €60m for SUSI supports.
In recognition of the particular impacts on students in financial difficulty, I have also directed additional €22m in Covid specific funding to students through the Student Assistance Fund and priority groups in the new National Access Plan. Significant additional support has also been provided for student mental health (€8m over two years).
As committed to in the Programme for Government, I will shortly be bringing the Report on Future Sustainability of further and higher education including an assessment of the future funding model for higher education to Government. This report also identifies the need for additional student supports which is being further investigated through the SUSI Review, currently being finalised. This review is examining the eligibility criteria, adjacency rates and postgraduate grant supports for students and the first step in addressing these. The review included extensive consultations with all key stakeholders including USI and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The findings will inform policy priorities and future considerations regarding the development of student grant policy.
Finally, a word on student accommodation which I know can be a significant cost for students. We are addressing affordability issues through measures such as:
- Capping student Accommodation under the Rent Pressure Zones.
- For tenancies created on or after 9 August 2021, the Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021 restricts the total amount that anyone is required to pay to a landlord by way of a deposit or an advance rent payment to secure a tenancy to no more than the equivalent of 2 months’ rent.
- Limiting termination notice periods in respect of student-specific accommodation, so that no more than 28 days’ notice is required to be given by students.
I am working with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to consider how new models for affordable purpose-built student accommodation could be developed. Affordability will be a key priority.
66. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there will be an increase in the number of students that will be able to access SUSI support grants due to the increase of €1,000 in the income threshold; the way this will be dealt with; the number of additional applications he anticipates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58614/21]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, as part of Budget 2022, I announced the first major changes to Student Grant Scheme rates and eligibility in over a decade. These changes will take effect in the next academic year.
These changes have allowed me to make early progress in addressing what I expect will be some of the themes emerging from the Review of the Student Grant Scheme. This includes ensuring that the scheme keeps paces with changes in the economy, people’s level of earnings and changes in the cost of living.
The package which I announced includes an increase of €1,000 in the income thresholds for the standard rate of maintenance grant.
The scheme is demand led and it is not possible to give exact statistics of how many new students may apply or be eligible by changing the thresholds. However, I expect it may lead to an increase in the number of students in the scheme of between 1,000 and 1,500 people.
It is also anticipated that this change will have a positive impact on a number of students currently within the grant scheme. Using assessment of last year’s figures as a basis, I would imagine on the order of 6,800 students might benefit from the change in thresholds.
Alongside the €200 increase in the rate of grant, which will benefit all students, and the changes in the non-adjacent rate, these represent significant enhancements to our support for students who rely on SUSI.
67. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress made under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 to promote access in apprenticeship for traditionally under-represented groups including women, migrants, those with disabilities and mature applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58626/21]
View answerOne of the five overarching objectives of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 is "Apprenticeship for All" by ensuring that the profile of the apprenticeship population will more closely reflect the profile of the general population.
The Action Plan contains a number of key deliverable designed to secure significantly greater diversity by:-
- including the voice of under-represented cohorts in apprenticeship;
- putting in place an inclusive apprenticeship access and delivery structure; and
- through monitoring and assessing targets and developing appropriate interventions.
A set of initial actions set out in the Plan is already underway to build on the outcomes of the 2018 Review of Pathways to Participation in Apprenticeship.
Specific current actions include:-
- All apprentice jobs are advertised on www.apprenticejobs.ie, with information on apprenticeship now accessible from the CAO website. A dedicated apprentice guidance line has been established to support this initial period of increased visibility of apprenticeship to school leavers.
- Extending the female craft apprentice employer bursary to all apprenticeship programmes with greater than 80% representation of a single gender. The bursary will be established from January 2022 and details of this scheme will be released in the near future.
- Progress on labelling access to apprenticeship programmes and pre-apprenticeship courses and increased clarity on progress routes is expected to be delivered in the near future.
The increase in apprenticeship registrations in 2021, exceeding expectations of a recovery from Covid-19 impacted 2020 but also showing a 25% increase on 2019 figures for the same period demonstrates the attractiveness of apprenticeships. The recent inclusion of apprenticeship information on the CAO website will further help to increase awareness of and access to apprenticeship for a new cohort of learners.
I am satisfied that the suite of initiatives included in the Apprenticeship Action Plan will provide strong momentum to boosting the presence of currently under-represented groups in our apprenticeship population.
69. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the specific proposals there are to intensify co-operation in 2022 in the further education sector on a cross-Border and an all-Ireland basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58647/21]
View answerI am very committed to the development of stronger North-South links across the third level education and research sector, including in particular in relation to Further Education and Training and this continues to be a major focus for my Department under its Statement of Strategy.
There is good co-operation which currently exists between Education and Training Boards, and the Regional Colleges in Northern Ireland, of which my Department and the Department of the Economy in Northern Ireland are very supportive. The North West Strategic Growth Partnership is an example of this, where Donegal ETB and the North West Regional College in Northern Ireland ensure their programme complement, rather than compete with each other to ensure the FET needs of that region are addressed.
I also welcome the range of other activity in this area, including the important work which Aontas, the adult learning organisation, have been doing to support collaboration among community education practitioners in Northern Ireland.
I believe there is more potential for strengthened collaboration in FET, and the forthcoming PEACE PLUS programme will be provide a tremendous platform to develop such engagement.
This new programme will look to support area-based approaches, designed to address skills gaps, which will result in increased productivity and employment and higher levels of cross-border labour mobility.
The types of actions which would be in scope for funding on a cross-border basis include the provision of skills programmes in critical areas such as ICT, digital, green economy and entrepreneurship and delivery of programmes to support people in re-engaging with employment and upskilling. This is an area in which intensified co-operation on a cross-border basis in FET can make a major contribution to the achievement of shared objectives under PEACE PLUS.
The draft PEACE PLUS programme has been approved by the Government and the Northern Ireland Executive through the North-South Ministerial Council, and the Special EU Programmes Body is currently finalising its submission to the EU Commission for approval. It is likely that this stage will conclude in the first half of next year, with calls for proposals to be issued later in 2022. I will keep the House updated on developments.
70. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the take-up of the apprenticeship incentivisation scheme; the details of the new grant for employers of apprenticeship participants who are not benefitting from direct off-the-job training allowance payments as announced in Budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58625/21]
View answerThe Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme was established to ensure that apprenticeship plays a key part in supporting economic recovery following COVID-19. It was introduced in March 2020 and has supported a significant recovery of apprentice registrations in throughout the COVID-19 period, enabling registrations so far this year to exceed registrations for 2019.
There have been 6,471 registrations so far in 2021 – an increase which not only exceeds expectations of a recovery of 2020 registrations which were badly impacted COVID-19, but also shows a 25% increase on 2019 figures for the same period.
Up to the end of October 2021, almost €12m has been approved under the Scheme in respect of 5,971 apprentice registrations, with over 3,000 unique employers availing of it. The Scheme will end for new applications on 31st December 2021.
Currently craft apprentices are paid training allowances directly by the ETBs and not their employers during their three periods of off-the-job training. This will continue for the 25 programmes currently covered under this process.
Under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025, employers of all other apprentices will become eligible for an annual grant of €2,000 per apprentice. The implementation details are being worked through with a view to ensuring that the scheme is effective and introduced on a timely basis.
This will be supplemented by further practical measures to support the employment of apprentices in SMEs, and measures to support the employment of underrepresented groups in apprenticeship and the delivery of skills essential to the economy. Initial activity in this area will be delivered through the extension of the existing bursary for employers of female craft apprentices to all apprenticeships with over 80% representation of a single gender.
The employer grant along with these other initiatives have the potential to play a very important role in securing engagement with employers in addressing barriers to participation in the apprenticeship system.
71. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the scholarship and grant schemes that are currently available to third-level students and for students that are refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58617/21]
View answerThe principal support provided to students is the Student Grant Scheme operated by SUSI. Under the scheme, grant assistance is awarded to 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. This statutory scheme is open to people have refugee, subsidiary protection or leave to remain status.
Particular priority is afforded to those on the lowest incomes and social welfare dependents through the special rate of grant, which is currently payable at the higher non-adjacent rate of €5,915 or the adjacent rate of €2,375, depending on the distance travelled to the college attended.
People who are in the protection process, whether that is the asylum, subsidiary protection or leave to remain process, are not eligible to access the statutory student grant scheme operated by SUSI.
However, my Department operates an administrative scheme, called the Student Support Scheme, which provides supports along similar lines. This is available to persons in the asylum, subsidiary protection or leave to remain process and offers the same levels of support as the statutory scheme.
Other supports that are generally available to students attending higher education institutions are the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with a Disability.
While Refugees are currently not a specifically named target group in the National Access Plan, refugees who meet the eligibility requirements of these scheme can be considered for access supports, such as the PATH programme.
I also want to note and commend the work of the institutions themselves in providing support to refugees, including scholarships. This includes those institutions participating in the University of Sanctuary Ireland initiative. This encourages and celebrates the good practice of universities, colleges and other education institutes welcoming refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants into their university communities and fostering a culture of welcome and inclusion for all those seeking sanctuary.
73. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding provided by his Department to support the wellbeing of students which is particularly important given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. [58540/21]
View answerThe support and wellbeing of our students is a priority for my Department, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the increased stress and pressure resulting from it.
In 2020, I secured a comprehensive package of financial supports from Government for the higher education and further education and training sectors to mitigate the impact of Covid.
This package included funding of €3m to underpin wellbeing and mental health and student services in our higher education institutions. This was in addition to the €2m funding that was allocated in Budget 2020 and funding that institutions already provide for these services. This funding commitment has been maintained in 2021.
Higher education institutions have been requested to utilise this funding towards student facing services including recruitment of additional student counsellors, training of staff and raising awareness among students of the supports available.
In addition, in the context of the impact of the pandemic on students, I have provided for a doubling of the baseline Student Assistance Funding in the current academic year, bringing the total allocation to the Student Assistance Fund to €17.2m.
The €1.9m Covid-19 Contingency Fund will also continue for the current academic year to support access services. This is ring-fenced funding to meet the wider needs of vulnerable students and target groups.
An allocation of €10 million has also been made to the Mitigating Against Educational Disadvantage Fund for this year. This Fund supports educationally disadvantaged learners in accessing and participating in further education and training. It also enables investment in building the digital infrastructure of FET providers and their online learning capability. This supports online delivery in a way that meets the complex needs of all FET learners, and ensures that these learners have the skills that will allow them to effectively participate in their programmes.
74. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on how the Speak Out tool for reporting violence and harassment is working since its launch; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58553/21]
View answerThe Speak Out tool, launched last month, is an online anonymous reporting tool for incidents of Bullying, Harassment, Discrimination, Assault, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Assault, and is being led by the Psychological Counsellors in Higher Education Ireland group, with funding provided by my Department.
Speak Out allows staff and students to report harassment across all equality grounds, including sexual misconduct and racial discrimination.The platform is currently available in the higher education sector and is being rolled out across 18 higher education institutions to support staff, students and visitors to speak out against this type of misconduct. The national roll-out of the Speak Out tool is aligned with an ethos of cross institutional collaboration in response to misconduct within higher education institutions.The tool enables institutions to track incidents across campuses. Institutions are encouraged to use the data to inform their review of policies and procedures and to develop targeted approaches. This includes both tackling misconduct and also creating formal reporting routes for affected staff and students.
As part of the Framework for Consent, institutions must report incidents of Bullying, Harassment, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Assault to the Higher Education Authority, and this tool will allow them to report in a timely and standardised fashion.The participating higher education institutions will report next year on statistics gathered through this tool. An assessment of its impact and usage will be carried out at the end of the current academic year.What is clear already is that by encouraging people to “speak out” and assuring them that the supports are there, should they wish to avail of them, this important tool helps our ongoing work in educating students and staff about issues of consent. It will also make an important contribution to our ultimate goal of ending bullying, harassment and sexual harassment on our campuses.
75. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to conduct an audit of equity of access to Further Education and Training for those with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58640/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, meeting the education and training needs of all groups in our society is a long-standing core principle of the Further Education and Training (FET) system. In that context, a fully inclusive FET system is a priority for me in my role as Minister for State and for the Department. Inclusion is one of my Department's six strategic goals in its Statement of Strategy, and a core pillar of FET Strategy: Transforming Learning.
The FET sector is committed to increasing levels of inclusion through the provision of high quality, more accessible and flexible education and training programmes and supports suited to the identified needs of individuals, including persons with a disability.
In 2017, SOLAS published ‘Barriers to Further Education and Training with Particular Reference to Long Term Unemployed Persons and Other Vulnerable Individuals’, and the implementation of this report is a condition of funding through the strategic funding arrangements between SOLAS and the 16 Education and Training Boards. In line with the Programme for Government commitment, it is planned that in 2022, SOLAS will commission further research to examine barriers to participation in FET, with particular reference to persons with a disability.
I can also assure the Deputy that there is ongoing engagement and monitoring in relation to provision and support within FET, including for persons with a disability, through the Strategic Performance Agreement process between SOLAS and the 16 Education and Training Boards.
In alignment with Ireland’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the FET sector is implementing Universal Design for Learning, and published 'UDL for FET Practitioners: Guidance for Implementing UDL in Irish Further Education and Training' guidelines earlier this year.
SOLAS are also currently overseeing an independent evaluation of Specialist Training Provision programme, which provides training for persons with a disability with higher support needs, to examine the quality, effectiveness, on-going relevance and overall value of training that is currently delivered by specialist training providers, and to propose any recommendations for future practice.
All of the foregoing initiatives and the broader operation of the FET system, including engagement with relevant stakeholders, provide SOLAS and the ETB system with very good insights and understanding on the access requirements of learners with disabilities which will help guide and inform future planning and delivery in this priority area.
I have also secured additional funding of €5m as part of Budget 2022 for the National Access and Inclusion Plan including a dedicated pilot Pathways project in higher education for students with intellectual disabilities. My officials have been engaging already with learners plus their advocates, and my intention is to hold a roundtable with learners, stakeholders and institutions to hear their views on how best to use this funding to meet the needs of learners with intellectual disabilities.
76. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress made under the Adult Literacy for Life strategy to reduce the proportion of adults in Ireland without basic digital skills from 47% to 20%, including the planned allocation under the Budget 2022 provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58637/21]
View answerThe Adult Literacy for Life, or ALL, Strategy sets out a cross-government, cross-economy, cross-society approach to address this priority. It sets out the detailed pathway to achieve the vision of an Ireland where every adult has the necessary literacy, numeracy and digital literacy to engage in society and realise their potential.
I believe that the Strategy can be transformative in addressing a very significant root cause of broader socio-economic disadvantage in our society and can make a substantial contribution to fostering inclusion and full participation in society.
I wish to advise the Deputy that a number of commitments under the Strategy have already been delivered including the establishment of a one-stop-shop which provides over 210 local contacts point and access to a national freephone for anyone who wishes to avail of one of the 100,000 places currently available through Further Education and Training (FET) providers across the country. Within FET, there are focused courses on building digital skills, as well as those that embed digital capability as part of wider provision. There are also eTutor supported online courses via eCollege that have been made openly and widely accessible during the pandemic.
Within the monitoring and reporting framework under the Strategy, barriers to engagement and digital skills indicators feature prominently and the progress towards one of the Strategy’s stated targets of ensuring that 80% of adults have at least basic digital skills will be monitored closely to ensure it is realised.
The Strategy includes a set of priority actions for delivery in the initial implementation phase, during which the foundations for success over the next 10 years will be laid. The recent announcement in Budget 2022 made provision of €3 million for this work, which underpins the ambition to progress and achieve these important early milestones.
77. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures being taken to reduce the lengthy timeframe for completion of apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58657/21]
View answerOne of the five key objectives set out in the Apprenticeship Action Plan is delivering the highest quality of work-based learning, supporting and demonstrating innovation to empower apprentices and employers to meet current and emerging skill needs. This objective will inform analysis regarding the appropriate duration for the completion of any apprenticeship training.
Apprenticeships currently range from two to five years leading to qualifications at levels 5-10 of the national framework of qualifications. It is important to highlight that as part of the apprenticeship development process the duration and level of the programme is linked to the achievement of specific learning outcomes, aligned with the skills and competencies an apprentice must demonstrate in order to qualify from their apprenticeship. These factors are set out in an occupational profile which is approved by the Apprenticeship Council on the basis of the alignment of the apprenticeship with skills needs.
The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 sets out a new structure for the management and governance of apprenticeship and provides for a shift to a single apprenticeship model which will deliver more discretion in relation to innovation and reform of programme content.
Setting the coordination and delivery of all apprenticeships close to the employer-education sector interface, through the use of apprenticeship consortia, will promote a timely and effective response to changing sectoral needs.
Proposed changes to the duration, level or other elements within the approved occupational profile will be examined by the proposed National Apprenticeship Alliance, which will take on the approval role from the Apprenticeship Council. This will help ensure for the future that the apprenticeship system is responsive to developments necessitating evolution and change at all time maintaining the quality of apprenticeship training.
78. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has sought a report from the enterprise agencies on the emerging skill shortages; and if a better integration of the strategies for apprenticeships, work permits and Skillnet under the national and regional skills can be forged to address the emerging challenges. [53163/21]
View answerIreland has a developed national skills system across further and higher education and apprenticeship, lifelong learning and human capital development, under the framework of the National Skills Strategy, and underpinned by strong partnership with key stakeholders. It is firmly focused on responding in an agile and flexible way to priority skill needs, and to changes in the world of work driven by technology, to ensure Ireland has a skilled and productive workforce.
The National Skills Council and Regional Skills Fora operating under the National Skills Strategy, foster engagement, dialogue, and collaboration between relevant Government Departments and agencies, the education and training system, the enterprise agencies, and private sector representatives in relation to skills priorities.
The skills ecosystem also encompasses the labour market information entities including the Skills and Labour Market Research Unit in SOLAS and the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs. This skills infrastructure informs and drives responsive and flexible forecasting, planning, and provision to meet skills requirements across all sectors of the economy. It has an important role to play in identifying skills provision shortfalls to be addressed by the education and training system and concerns relating to labour shortages in particular sectors that relate to other factors.
In line with commitments in the National Economic Recovery Plan, I recently launched a Skills Strategy Project to be undertaken in partnership with the OECD, which will play an important role in ensuring that Ireland's skills system is effective in meeting skills and human capital needs. This will be central to our economic and social sustainability against the backdrop of major trends impacting on the workforce and society including digitisation and climate transition.
79. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the engagements he has with a union (details supplied) on their recent campaign in regard to rising college fees, rising student living and accommodation costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58646/21]
View answerI have engaged closely with student representatives on issues concerning the costs of higher education for students.
It is important to be aware of the support available for students including state funding of the registration fee for an estimated 45% of students. In fact my Department will spend over €400 million on student supports in 2021 including the Student Grant scheme which assists over 74,000 students annually to access third level education.
I am deeply aware of the strain that the rising cost of living and the continuing pandemic has placed on our students. I have prioritised addressing the concerns of students in the budgetary and policy decisions which I have taken.
in a context of limited resources, I have to decide on the most impactful measures which will benefit the greatest numbers of people and those most in need of support.
In Budget 2022 I made the first changes to SUSI grant rates and eligibility thresholds in a decade. An additional €200 in the rate will benefit all 62,000 students in receipt of a SUSI maintenance payment. The change in the thresholds of €1,000 and adjacency rates will widen eligibility and provide higher rates of grant to many already in the scheme.
In recognition of the particular impacts on students in financial difficulty, I have also directed additional €22m in Covid specific funding to students through the Student Assistance Fund and priority groups in the new National Access Plan.
I am conscious of the challenges of student accommodation and my Department is actively engaged on the Interdepartmental Working Group on Student Accommodation. Fundamentally we need to increase the supply of all types of housing and accommodation, including student accommodation.
That is why the Government has launched Housing for All. The plan is backed by the largest ever housing budget in the history of the State to transform our housing system, in excess of €20bn.
80. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress made on the integration of Carlow College, St. Patrick's, into the higher education system in the south-east region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58621/21]
View answerI expressed a view to Carlow College principals in August that in order to best position itself for engagement with any future technological university (TU) emerging in the region, the College should consider undertaking a further analysis of its educational provision, resources and student population that could form the basis for an engagement with the TU leadership post-establishment. I understand that in the interim the College has embarked on such a course of action, with Department officials having offered advice upon request on the draft Terms of Reference for the exercise.
This approach is being undertaken on the understanding that it does not presume any particular outcome with respect to any role, responsibility or obligation of a future Technological University. It would be a matter for any future TU to determine its own potential role, if any, in respect of a final strategic outcome for Carlow College, St. Patrick's.
On 15 November I was pleased to visit Carlow College and to meet many of its dedicated staff and students. The past 18 months have been very challenging for everyone so it was heartening to hear how the College has adapted to the challenges that Covid-19 has brought and through hard-work and a willingness to be agile in its teaching methods has continued to deliver its higher education provision to students.
81. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will outline the work undertaken by SOLAS in the establishment of the further education and training capital and property working group; and the way this forum will support the delivery of capital projects in education and training boards. [58655/21]
View answerThe new National Development Plan (NDP) provides for a step up in capital funding for the further education and training (FET) sector which will enable a transition to a more ambitious and strategic approach to the development of FET infrastructure.
Significant planning work and capacity development is now required to underpin this major programme of FET investment. My Department is working with SOLAS and the ETB sector to build up the governance, strategic framework and delivery capability required.
As part of its remit, the working group referred to by the Deputy is contributing to the development of processes around applications for funding of FET capital projects in line with the rules and procedures set out in the Public Spending Code and Capital Works Management Framework.
82. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the site location and timeline for a new capital build for Cavan Institute; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58623/21]
View answer88. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the advancement of a new campus for Cavan Institute at Cathedral Road, Drumalee, County Cavan; if a report has been submitted to his Department regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58624/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 88 together.
Cavan ETB has identified the development of the site of the former Army Barracks in Cavan as an opportunity to centralise further education and training provision and eliminate the need for various rented accommodation arrangements around Cavan town.
To address immediate needs, plans were advanced by the ETB for interim temporary accommodation for Cavan Institute on the Barracks site. My Department approved funding in late summer for works associated with the delivery of an interim accommodation solution, which is currently with the ETB to progress.
As the Deputy is aware, the new National Development Plan (NDP) provides for a step up in capital funding for the further education and training (FET) sector. Significant planning work required to underpin this major programme of FET investment is being advanced by my Department, in conjunction with SOLAS.
A framework for applications for major FET capital projects, in line with the provisions of the Public Spending Code and the Future FET Strategy, will be confirmed shortly. Once that framework is in place, SOLAS will engage with CMETB on the information required to bring this project to the next stage. The formal process required under the Public Spending Code will allow options to be considered in relation to the potential campus location and other relevant project parameters.
83. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress in the midlands regions on increasing the number of apprenticeships for skills in renewable energy, retrofitting homes and energy efficient construction. [58605/21]
View answer86. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has plans to increase the number of apprenticeships in the Midlands in the area of retrofitting homes, renewable energy and energy efficient construction skills. [58604/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 83 and 86 together.
Education and training relevant to skills needs in the retrofitting and construction sector is delivered across the full remit of Further and Higher Education (through apprenticeship; non-apprenticeship further education and training (FET) and Higher Education (HE)) and through mainstream education and training as well as through specific programmes such as Springboard, the Human Capital Initiative and Skillnet Ireland.
General provision in areas such as green skills and sustainability, which includes retrofit and Near Zero Energy Building (NZEB), is ongoing across the FET sector, with some 50+ programmes already running across the sector. NZEB skills training comprising one to four days of training is largely targeted to existing construction professionals. Ongoing innovation in delivery includes a move to a blended model of training in addition to the development of a pilot VR programme which is expected to be operational by year end.
For new entrants at craft level, curricula in apprenticeships are updated on an ongoing basis to keep pace with changes in industry practices and regulations. At non-craft operative level LOETB has developed, as a key component of its Just Transition response to Bord Na Mona employees, a six-day Skills to Advance programme that offers the trainee an opportunity to gain QQI Level V Certification in Thermal Insulation Installation. LOETB is also developing a follow-on programme based around QQI Level 5 modules in Ventilation and Air Tightness to be offered to all participants of the Thermal Insulation Programme.
There is no specific apprenticeship in retrofit at the current time. Rather, retrofit activity covers a range of tasks and professions including craft trades and operative level occupations in the construction sector. Should there be a need for a retrofit-specific apprenticeship to complement the existing range of offerings, the development of new apprenticeships is employer-led, with consortia comprising employer groups and educational providers can come together to identify a skills need and appropriate apprenticeship response in their sector under a defined process.
I am satisfied that the Budget 2022 skills package of €132m, including €22m towards the Further Education Green Skills Action Programme, the range of actions envisaged under the Apprenticeship Action Plan and the wider skills response across the tertiary education system will help ensure that priority skill needs in our economy in the years ahead will be met for the midlands and for Ireland.
84. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the development of technological universities including the way that each fits with the strengths economically and otherwise of the region they serve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58573/21]
View answer93. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the development of technological universities. [58568/21]
View answer94. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the development of technological universities including the urgent need to progress TU status in the north-east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58547/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 84, 93 and 94 together.
The development and progression of technological universities (TUs) is an established policy objective of Government in the context of overarching national strategy on higher education landscape restructuring and this is underscored in the commitment in the current Programme for Government.
At a time when the world is facing major challenges in areas such as climate change and COVID-19, the importance of higher education has never been greater. We will need to maximise our ability to produce talented and responsible graduates who can lead, innovate, create, inspire, and transform. We will need these graduates in every village, town, city, and region in Ireland if we are to achieve the ground-up community engagement required to succeed in a sustainable manner. The development of Technological Universities is a key development in this context and will prove to be transformative economically for our regions.
We are seeing strong early success with our TUs. In MTU the demand from CAO applicants has surged, with first-preference honours degree applications for MTU courses rising by more than 16%, almost twice the national average. In addition, the KTI Annual Knowledge Transfer Survey 2020 indicated that total research expenditure in MTU exceeded €22M.
As the largest provider of part-time education in the state, TU Dublin makes an important contribution to the socio-economic life of the capital, TU Dublin’s award-winning technology transfer and business incubation activity has delivered over 400 new sustainable businesses with an economic value of almost €700 million.
Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, recently established in October, is a multi-campus university spread across six campuses throughout Ireland’s Midwest and Midlands region with more than 14,000 students enrolled in hundreds of courses across four counties.
In addition to the established TUs, on 28 October, I announced that I was granting TU designation to the CUA consortium of GMIT, IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT. The name agreed by the applicant institutes for the new Technological University for the West and North West region being established next year shall be the Atlantic Technological University (Ollscoil Teicheolaíochta an Atlantaigh) with 1 April 2022 envisaged as the date of establishment. This TU will be unique in its geographic situation in the West / North West which will enable it to further foster and deepen significant cross-border higher education and economic linkages.
On 2 November I announced that a TU in the South East is to be established next year, subject to finalisation of some remaining technical and operational matters. The HEA will play a key assessment role in this regard, reporting on final compliance. All parties are working toward the new university opening its doors by 1 May 2022.
These new TUs are increasing higher education access, boosting regional development, and increasing opportunities for students, staff, businesses, and local communities. TUs are now taking their rightful place in the higher education landscape, benefiting students right across the regions, and proving that higher education can deliver regional excellence, while also making the international ambitions of student, staff and communities a reality.
TUs play a leadership role in the strategic development of our regions, and, in so doing, will adopt a global outlook and a civic-centric value system. TUs anchor regional development while participating fully on both the national, and international, stages.
In September the HEA announced funding of €25.7million to relevant higher education institutions in support of either progression towards TU status or for the vital post-establishment development phase. This brings total funding under the Technological University Transformation Fund to €60 million with a further €30m still to be awarded next year to assist the development and progression of TUs.
In addition, €40 million is being allocated to a TU education and reforms project under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and my Department is also preparing a further TU oriented application under the European Regional Development Fund.
The 2 remaining standalone Institutes of Technology, Dundalk and Dun Laoghaire, that are not currently part of a TU development consortium, are striving to attain future TU status with the assistance of the HEA and material Transformation Fund support. It remains a matter for the governing bodies of autonomous Institutes of Technology as decide where they locate themselves on the higher education landscape.
85. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will establish a science and technology policy fellowship within the civil service to provide opportunities to scientists and engineers to learn first-hand about policy-making and contribute their knowledge and analytical skills in policy development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57453/21]
View answer92. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps he plans to take to improve the interface between the wider research community and Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57452/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 92 together.
My Department’s agencies, the Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland, currently have initiatives in place to bring researchers closer to the work of the Oireachtas and to connect elected representatives with the world leading research that is happening in Ireland.
In July 2018 the Irish Research Council launched its Oireachtas Shadowing Scheme. The scheme has seen some of Ireland’s most prominent researchers ‘shadowing’ members of the Oireachtas for the day in Leinster House. The scheme was developed by the Irish Research Council to bridge the divide between policy-making and research and to ensure that elected representatives are supported to tap into publicly funded research.
The Oireachtas Shadowing Scheme pairs an Irish Research Council-funded researcher with a member of the Oireachtas. Typically, the researcher will be matched with a TD or Senator from his or her local constituency or who has expertise in an area of interest. The researcher accompanies the TD or Senator to Leinster House on the agreed date, observes proceedings and shadows their work for the day. The scheme is an excellent opportunity for researchers to deepen their understanding of political engagement and the policy-making system – and for members of the Oireachtas to engage directly with publicly-funded researchers. Members are welcome to do a return visit to the researcher’s institution, if they wish.
It is the intention of the Irish Research Council to revisit its Oireachtas Shadowing Scheme once restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic are fully lifted. The next pairings will expand to include Irish members of the European Parliament.
The SFI Public Service Fellowship, which was launched in 2019, is a pilot initiative which offers researchers a unique opportunity to be temporarily seconded to Government departments, agencies and the Library and Research Service of the Oireachtas, to work on specific projects where they can add value, resulting in mutually beneficial outcomes. The Fellowships awarded will foster innovation within the Public Sector by supporting the development and implementation of data-driven and evidence-based approaches.
A total of 12 Public Service Fellowships were awarded with placements in a number of hosts: Houses of the Oireachtas Library and Research Services (6 Fellows), the Department of Children, Disability, Equality and Integration (1 Fellow), Food Safety Authority of Ireland (2 Fellows), The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (2 Fellows) and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (1 Fellow). Of the 12 Fellowships 7 are due to end their placement in 2021. The remaining Fellows will carry out their placements until 2023.
It is clear that the academic research community can provide essential input, expertise and service to bolster the work of colleagues in Government Departments and agencies.
Equally, placements within Government Departments and agencies will expose academic researchers to the mechanics of public service and policy making which will contribute greatly to their career development. The secondment model will also provide an opportunity for further dissemination of knowledge and learnings to a broader academic cohort on return of the Fellow to their academic institution. Thus, the SFI Public Service Fellowship pilot programme will help in increasing the linkages between the research and civil service systems.
There is also Creating our Future, our national conversation on the role research can and should play in addressing opportunities, challenges and hopes for the future. I am grateful to Deputy Naughten for working with the Creating our Future team as Chair of the informal, cross party group on science and technology giving Members of the Oireachtas, and their staff the opportunity to learn more about the campaign and encourage engagement in their communities. As we approach the end of the campaign I am pleased to see that there have been over ten thousand submissions so far, and I look forward to seeing the final tally.
In addition, I recently announced plans to decouple the Chief Science Adviser role from the role of the Director General of Science Foundation Ireland in the medium term. In August, my department initiated informal discussions with stakeholders on science advisory structures. My Department will present a formal consultation document and commence a public consultation on the role of science advice structures to identify the best model for Ireland. The Department will work together with other Departments and also take advice from the European Commission, OECD and other international experts in formulating detailed proposals.
87. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the development of the Atlantic technological university; and the level of Exchequer funding that will be provided in 2022 for this technological university. [58656/21]
View answerOn 28 October, I announced that I was granting TU designation to the CUA consortium of GMIT, IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT. In this context, expressions of interest are being sought by my Department in a public process launched last week for key posts on the TU’s first governing body including that of chairperson. An open public process has also been launched by the applicant institutes seeking expressions of interest in the post of first president of the new TU.
On 23 November, I announced that the name agreed by the applicant institutes for the new Technological University for the West and North West region being established next year shall be the Atlantic Technological University (Ollscoil Teicheolaíochta an Atlantaigh). The name was chosen by the applicant institutes following a comprehensive survey commissioned by them of relevant internal and external stakeholders including most notably the students and staff of the three Institutes. This name has the full support of all three governing bodies.
Subject to the drafting of the requisite Ministerial order under the Technological Universities Act 2018 by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, its laying before and approval by resolution by each House of the Oireachtas, it is proposed that the date on which the three Institutes will be formally dissolved and the Atlantic Technological University established in their place shall be the 1 April 2022. This means that students of the current three Institutes who graduate in this academic year of 2021/2022 and henceforth in the West and North West will do so with university qualifications.
On foot of the TURN report Government announced in Budget 2020 the provision of €90 million over the next three years under a TU Transformation Fund to support Institutes of Technology to jointly achieve TU designation and to further the advancement of established TUs. This dedicated funding is additional to the €31 million in Exchequer funding invested in TU development and progression since 2013. My department has secured a further €40 million in TU oriented funding under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. My department and the Higher Education Authority are also working to secure additional TU research funding under the European Regional Development Fund from next year.
To date the consortium of GMIT, IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT has received almost €16 million to advance its TU proposals. The HEA meets regularly with the fund recipients and consults at a sectoral level via the TU Research Network (TURN), to oversee the use of the fund and to best serve the needs of each institution or consortia at its current stage in the TU trajectory.
Considerable progress has been made towards the objectives of the fund since initial disbursements were made in 2020, as evidenced by the robust monitoring systems put in place to track progress. The last round of funding allocations was determined on the basis of assessed capacity and progress evidenced in meeting the objectives and ambitions outlined in the TURN Report. In this context, the HEA will issue a funding call in 2022 to each institution or consortia.
