Written Answers Nos. 1047-1066
1047. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the name of the company, organisation or persons contracted to provide media training to him from 1 January 2021 to date; the costs incurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1508/23]
View answerMy Department has not contracted to provide any media training for me during the period referred to by the Deputy.
1048. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the options that are available to students applying to NUI colleges who have a dyslexia and dyscalculia diagnosis and an Irish exemption recommendation from an educational psychologist but have not been granted an Irish exemption by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1528/23]
View answerHigher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006, and the Technological Universities Act 2018. As such they are autonomous in relation to their administrative and academic affairs, and admissions policy offered by any institution, including special exemption requirements, are a matter for the individual institutions to determine. If exemptions are issued at secondary level it would fall under the remit of the Department of Education.
In order to acquire further details on this matter I would suggest contacting the NUI directly. Further information on the process for applying for an exemption can be found on the NUI website: www.nui.ie/college/entry-requirements.asp.
1049. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of applications that were made for the SUSI grant in the past four academic years, per county, in tabular form; the number of those applications that were successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1593/23]
View answerThe Student Grant Scheme is the principal support for students in financial terms by my Department. It provides grant assistance to eligible students attending approved full-time courses in approved further or higher educational institutions who meet the prescribed eligibility criteria of the relevant scheme. The Scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the national student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), a business unit of CDETB. Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible 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.
Please see below data, provided by SUSI, on the number of students who applied for SUSI funding in the last four academic years, and the number of those who were awarded. Please note data is as of 6 January 2023.
*Please note figures for current 2022/23 academic year are likely to change as processing is ongoing.
1050. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding refugee status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1606/23]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that, in response to the invasion of Ukraine, and in line with the decision by the European Council on 4 March 2022, the Government is providing beneficiaries with immediate access to the labour market, along with access to social welfare, accommodation and other State supports including healthcare and education under the International Protection Act 2015.
All displaced Ukrainian nationals in receipt of Temporary Protection who are looking to apply for the first time for a place in higher education in Ireland for the 2023/24 academic year, should do so by applying through the Central Applications Office (CAO) www.cao.ie. Information on how to apply is provided in the Frequently Asked Questions section on the CAO website, www.cao.ie/index.php?page=faq&bb=haq and is being actively communicated by the CAO reception team and helpdesk to assist with queries.
Displaced Ukrainian students applying to the Irish higher education system for the academic year 2023/24 will be subject to the same conditions as Irish students for the purposes of fees. This means that students with Temporary Protection will be liable for EU fees.
1051. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of approved safepass organisations providing safepass training for each of the years 2018 to 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1661/23]
View answerSafe Pass training and assessment is delivered by SOLAS Approved Training Organisations (ATOs) and tutors. All SOLAS approved Safe Pass providers are independent commercial entities.
The number of training organisations approved to provide Safe Pass training for 2022 is 65. The number of approved organisations has increased year-on-year from 2018, except for 2021.
|
Year: |
Number of Training Organisations approved to provide Safe Pass Courses: |
|
2018 |
59 |
|
2019 |
62 |
|
2020 |
64 |
|
2021 |
63 |
|
2022 |
65 |
1052. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of safepasses that were certified for each of the years 2018 to 2022; his plans, if any, to increase the volume of certified safe passes to be granted in 2023; if he will address the delays in accessing safepass courses and registration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1662/23]
View answerSafe Pass card applications and registrations are processed on demand. SOLAS has and will continue to have the capacity to meet demand. There is currently no delay in the processing of Safe Pass cards.
Safe Pass training and assessment is delivered by SOLAS Approved Training Organisations (ATOs) and tutors. These are private providers. As it is a demand-led programme, class sizes vary. Safe Pass tutors generally teach anything between 10 to 20 participants, depending on the demand. SOLAS is not experiencing any backlog regarding Safe Pass training provision.
As illustrated below, the processing and issuing of Safe Pass cards increased by 11% in 2021 with a further increase of 36% in 2022 resulting is a 46% increase from 2020 to 2022.
|
Year |
Number of new Safe Pass cards issued |
|
2018 |
105,361 |
|
2019 |
108,612 |
|
2020 |
70,780 |
|
2021 |
79,807 |
|
2022 |
125,141 |
1053. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the oversight he has in the pricing of safepass courses and to account for the significant increase in cost in accessing some safepass courses over the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1663/23]
View answerSOLAS has no role in the setting of fees for Safe Pass courses. All SOLAS approved Safe Pass course providers are independent commercial entities. Safe Pass course fees are determined by market forces and, as such, are a matter for each approved Safe Pass course provider. SOLAS does not receive any financial contribution from approved Safe Pass course providers in respect of course fees. However, Safe Pass course providers are required to provide SOLAS with €32 for the processing, manufacturing and distribution of Safe Pass cards.
1055. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on the plans to standardise the access and eligibility criteria across ETB YouthReach and Community Training centre YouthReach programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1764/23]
View answerA key priority of Future FET: Transforming Learning, the National FET Strategy 2020-2024 is to ensure consistency of support for all learners. SOLAS has recommended that Education and Training Boards (ETBs) should work together to develop and adopt a uniform approach to programme referral and entry into Youthreach based on existing good practice. SOLAS also proposed that the role of Youthreach programme guidelines be reviewed, given the central role of ETB planning and funding parameters in setting requirements from Further Education and Training (FET) provision, and a cross-FET guidebook on programme practice should be developed to ensure clarity around programme expectations leading to clear pathways of progression opportunities for learners. As the Deputy will be aware, an Operational Guidelines Working Group (OGWG) was established to review the operational guidelines applying to Community Training Centre (CTCs), and Specialist Training Provision as well as Local Training Initiatives within the FET Sector. The work of the OGWG is continuing and will inform the revision of the Operating Guidelines.
1056. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the operational guidelines working group reported on the review of the operational guidelines applying to CTCs, specialist training provision and local training initiatives to the ETB FET directors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1765/23]
View answerAn Operational Guidelines Working Group (OGWG) has been established to review the operational guidelines applying to CTCs, and Specialist Training Provision as well as Local Training Initiatives within the FET Sector. This is an internal working group formed under the auspices of Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI).
Membership of the OGWG includes representatives from individual ETBs and relevant stakeholders are invited to meetings of the group where relevant issues are to be discussed.
The OGWG commenced its work in June 2022 and reports on its progress to the ETBI Directors Forum. I understand that it is not proposed that a formal report will be published, but a series of recommendations relating to the operating guidelines of the aforementioned programmes will be submitted to SOLAS on completion of the Group's work.
1057. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps that are being taken to ensure that all students of the BSc in paramedics studies in the University of Limerick can undertake their 12-month internship in an emergency ambulance with the National Ambulance Service, instead of having to complete this required internship in the UK as is currently the case; if he has engaged with UL and the NAS in relation to this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1829/23]
View answerI have been advised by the University of Limerick that work is ongoing between the University and the National Ambulance Service and progressing positively with regard to paramedic students being in a position to undertake their 52-week, post graduate, Internship (in Year 2 of their programme) with the National Ambulance Service .
University of Limerick BSc in Paramedic Studies students undertake a range of undergraduate, clinical placements in Semester 2 of Year 1 of the programme in hospital, community settings and in Emergency and Intermediate Care ambulance settings. Currently UL paramedic students undertake their Year 1 undergraduate Emergency Ambulance placements with the National Ambulance Service .
One of the issues needing careful consideration when planning placements and internships is capacity for National Ambulance Services' own students to complete their emergency ambulance placements and internships. The National Ambulance Service have advised the University that a body of work is currently ongoing from a workforce planning perspective to ensure capacity for not only National Ambulance Service students but also University of Limerick Paramedic students.
Planning for current and future public sector skills needs is a priority for my department. My Department is not in a position to specify the workforce planning demand requirements for any discipline – this must come from the relevant line Department. Officials are engaging with a number of government departments to determine the needs of their sectors in respect of crucial skill area and issues in the control of the health sector - such as placements - are part of these discussions.
1058. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a letter detailing further required information in respect of a submitted appeal has now issued to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1957/23]
View answerUnder the terms of the Student Grant 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.
The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.
I have been advised by my officials that the student referred to by the Deputy was issued a grant award letter by SUSI on 4th January 2023 and the application is now finalised.
1059. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the terms of reference with regard to the consideration of a location for a new veterinary school; if he is confident that any newly-established courses will be internationally accredited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1960/23]
View answerThe Higher Education Authority (HEA) is in the middle of an expressions of interest process to build capacity in Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry and Veterinary.
No decisions have been made in respect of provision or determining whether a new school is to be established at this stage as the process is still ongoing.
An expert panel is to review all applications in the coming week. The HEA will then make recommendations to the Minister on where capacity can be increased across the country in these disciplines.
As such, there are currently no terms of reference for consideration of a new school in any of these disciplines as the process has not yet reached any conclusions.
Any new courses or expanded courses would have due regard to Irish regulatory requirements regarding appropriate accreditation. It would be a matter for the schools and the relevant regulatory authorities to engage in respect of any international accreditation.
1060. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there has been a change since September 2022 in relation to the provision of adult education classes being provided by ETB towards only funding courses leading to accreditation and moving away from an emphasis on those who only wish to acquire a skill for their own use and fulfilment and do not need or focus on accreditation; if this change of direction has been instructed by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2337/23]
View answerI wish to assure the Deputy that no changes have been made to the policy in relation to the provision of ETB adult education classes. There has always been an emphasis within ETBs to provide training courses, which assist the learner's progression and subsequently, lead to accreditation. ETBs also provide training courses for learners, who may wish to acquire a skill for their own use and/ or fulfilment. Such learning opportunities are a core component of ETB Further Education and Training provision. The allocation of funding for adult education classes is a matter for the individual ETBs.
1061. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his engagement with the Minister for Health to increase the number of graduates from clinical therapies, including but not limited to occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and psychology to address shortages in the health services. [2427/23]
View answerA joined up approach with the Department of Health, Department of Education and Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is necessary to determine system level demand in each therapy discipline. Officials in my Department are engaged with officials across these Departments in progressing this work.
My Department remains committed to delivering a substantial increase across all healthcare areas in the higher education sector. This needs to be matched by clinical placements. This is largely in the control of the Department of Health in the therapy areas. Healthcare programmes are by their nature complex in delivery. In particular, securing appropriate long-term placements and placement supports is a key element in unlocking additional provision. It is also crucial that any increases in places are introduced in a sustainable way, so that higher education institutions can build appropriate staffing capacity.
The HEA recently issued an Expressions of Interest to build capacity in Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Veterinary. This process was designed to respond swiftly to national skills needs, through either new programmes or expanding existing courses in these areas. The HEA intends to undertake a similar process in respect of therapy areas later in 2023.
My Department will continue to engage regularly with the Department of Health, Education and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the HSE, the Higher Education Authority and the higher education sector to identify where additional places can and should be provided in the higher education system.
1062. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Justice if he met with the Legal Aid Board in 2022; if he has received any request from the board for additional staff resources in recent times; if he will review the supports currently available for this important work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63153/22]
View answerThe Legal Aid Board is the statutory, independent body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means in the State, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 and the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 1996, as amended.
I can advise the Deputy that a meeting took place between Minister Helen McEntee and the Chairperson of the Legal Aid Board, on 4 May 2022. Minister McEntee also participated in a photocall with members of the Legal Aid Board on 4 October 2022 to mark the launch of its 2021 annual report. I can further advise that officials in my Department met with the Legal Aid Board on a number of occasions during 2022.
Funding for the Legal Aid Board amounted to €47.9m in 2022 and an additional €3 million was allocated in Budget 2023 to the Legal Aid Board in respect of legal advice and support to persons under the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity Act), which will come into effect shortly. The matter of resource allocation is however an operational matter entirely for the Legal Aid Board which is independent in its functions. As part of ongoing governance arrangements, officials in my Department engage regularly with the Board in relation to resourcing matters.
1063. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Justice his views on the need to collate data on the number of assaults perpetrated against transport workers, such as taxi drivers, bus drivers, and rail staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63187/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of all crime statistics. The CSO produce statistics using data recorded on An Garda Síochána’s PULSE system and make regular releases under reservation in relation to various crime statistics, including recorded and detected crime. The categorisation of various crime statistics is primarily a matter for the CSO.
The safety and security of both public transport passengers and staff, including arrangements to deal with anti-social behaviour, are important matters that, first and foremost, must be managed by every public transport company, in conjunction with An Garda Síochána where appropriate.
Garda management engages extensively with transport operators to provide a high visibility presence through a co-ordinated approach. A range of regional and local operations have been put in place by Gardaí to prevent and detect criminal activity and anti-social behaviour on public transport. For example, Operation Saul is implemented across the Dublin Region with the aim of keeping people safe on public transport.
Any violence on any form of public transport is completely unacceptable. Such incidents not only injure the victims but communities as a whole. I want to make it very clear that criminality on public transport will not be tolerated and that this Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs to keep the public safe.
1064. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice if the requisite visas and residency permits can issue in the case of persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63222/22]
View answerThe persons referred to by the Deputy were issued a letter refusing permission to remain in the state on 4 May 2022. In response to a notification pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), written representations have been submitted on behalf of the persons concerned.
These representations, together with all other information and documentation on file, will be fully considered, under Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and all other applicable legislation, in advance of a final decision being made. These cases are amongst many to be considered by the Minister at present and, as such, it is not possible to provide a specific indication as to when the cases will be finalised.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility (inisoireachtasmail@justice.ie), which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
1065. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Justice if any consideration is being given to extending visa-free travel to tourists from Colombia as was done in Britain on 9 November 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63224/22]
View answerI am aware that the UK have very recently lifted the visa requirement on Colombia for short visits and that this arrangement also applies in the Schengen area. The Deputy will also be aware that both the UK and Schengen States intend to introduce in the near future an Electronic Travel Authorisation System for certain non-visa required countries.
It is the case that Colombia remains on the list of visa required countries for Ireland. In support of visa processing in Colombia, a Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Bogota opened in December 2022. My Department has also extended the multi-entry visa option for up to 5 years for all visa required countries, including Colombia. These measures should assist in timely processing of visa applications and a more flexible visa package for Colombian citizens visiting Ireland.
In general, the decision to impose a visa requirement is based on a variety of factors including the risk of irregular immigration, public policy and security, tourism and trade and the Common Travel Area. While there is no immediate proposal to lift the visa requirement on Colombia, this matter is being kept under active review.
1066. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Justice the rationale for outsourcing visa application in Colombia to a company (details supplied); the duration and annual cost of the contract; the number of countries in which the company has responsibility for processing applications for Irish visas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63226/22]
View answerA number of steps have been taken in recent years to upgrade the visa processing system to make it more efficient and easier for applicants from abroad to submit their visa applications for travel to Ireland; this has included the availability of services provided by an external provider via Visa Application Centres (VACs).
It is important to state that the services provided by the organisation concerned do not extend to making decisions on visa applications; such decisions are the sole remit of either the staff of my Department or the Department of Foreign Affairs who process certain visa categories under delegated sanction from my Department.
The use of these centres provides greater accessibility to applicants in these countries as they can make visa applications at locations nearer to them. They also greatly increase the visibility of Ireland as a destination for tourism, business or education purposes across a wider geographical area in very large countries or countries where our consular representation is not physically present.
For example, in India there are a total of twelve centres established across the country where applications for both Irish and United Kingdom visas can be made and where initial processing of documentation is carried out. Similar arrangements apply in China where applications for Irish visas can be submitted in one of sixteen centres (including Hong Kong). The applicant can choose the centre most convenient to their home or business address, and for a small extra charge, can choose to have the visa returned by courier to their home or business address. There is also a facility for group bookings to facilitate applicants who are travelling together to Ireland. It is intended over time to expand the use of such facilities in order to provide better services to potential travellers to Ireland.
In addition, a number of services are provided for the fee charged, including an initial check of completeness of documentation required (which enables initial errors in the application to be corrected before transmission and subsequent delays), dispatching the application (and passport) by courier to the Visa Office, collecting the completed applications, and returning the passport to the applicant.
The administration fee is paid by the applicant and there is no cost to the Department for the contract, as the cost is borne by the applicant. The commercial service partner also provides a range of additional services at the application centre. Such services are optional and the applicant only pays should they wish to avail of them. The fees charged by the commercial partner differ from country to country.
There are a total of 78 such centres operational in 28 different countries including one in Bogota, Colombia, which commenced operations in December 2022. The company concerned has also provided assurances that they are GDPR compliant and that the information and documentation provided by visa applicants is safeguarded in respect of the rules and regulations around data protection in general.
The services provided under the contract are kept under review on an ongoing basis.
