Written Answers Nos. 1027-1037
1027. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide details of his engagement with the Minister for Transport concerning the provision of public transport services for disabled persons attending vocational training services and post-secondary school-based courses. [13230/23]
View answerI met with the Minister for Transport in September 2022 to discuss transport options for students across the third level sector, including issues relating to access to public transport. I welcome the provision in Budget 2023 to continue the Young Adult Card and its expansion to 16, 17 and 18 year olds in third level education, so that they can also avail of half-price public transport fares.
My Department provides a number of supports for people with a disability, which may include transport supports. Almost 11,400 learners who took part in Further Education and Training (FET) courses in 2020 declared themselves as having a disability. Some of these learners took part in programmes specifically designed for people with a disability such as the Specialist Training Provision (STP) programme, while others participated across the broader FET provision programmes such as Post Leaving Certificate courses, Back to Education Initiative and the Adult Literacy Service.
Within the FET sector, a broad range of supports are provided through the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) to support the participation of all learners, including those with a disability. These supports may include transport support. For example, some providers of SPT will have their own transport, while others link into other local transport providers.
The Strategic Performance Agreements in place between SOLAS and the ETBs for 2022 to 2024, identify 12 National Targets, one if which is to widen participation of learners from priority cohorts, including people with a disability, in FET. ETBs will work in partnership with local community education providers and interest groups to ensure the challenges faced by priority cohorts are addressed.
Nevertheless, the provision of public transport services falls within the remit of the Department of Transport and the Deputy may wish to engage further with the Minister for Transport regarding her query.
1028. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the length the waitlist expected to be between phase 2 and phase 4 of SOLAS in each relevant apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13244/23]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy in relation to the length the wait list expected to be between phase 2 and phase 4 of SOLAS in each relevant apprenticeship is being compiled by SOLAS. An answer will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
1029. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the preparations being made, and the measures being put in place to address the shortage of training spaces for dieticians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13332/23]
View answerSignificant engagement is ongoing between my Department, and the Department of Health to develop a joined-up approach to meet system level demand across the health sector.
My Department does not place a quota on the number of places available on programmes leading to entry to the profession of dietitian, that is decided by the relevant HEIs according to their capacity.
There are some fundamental issues, which are in the control of the health sector, which are prerequisites to enable expansion. These relate to guarantees of clinical placements, detailed and robust workforce planning projections and engagement with regulators. In addition to qualifying additional dieticians, success in the recruitment and retention of health professionals by the health sector will be key.
Future growth of provision in the higher education sector will be dependent on action in these areas by the appropriate authorities in the health sector.
A working group, including representation from the Department of Health, HSE and CORU, as well as the higher education sector, has been established to specifically examine how placements can be secured to facilitate greater numbers of training places.
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) recently sought expressions of interest from higher education institutions interested in building capacity in Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, and Veterinary from academic year 2024-25 or 2025-26. The HEA have advised higher education institutions that it intends on using a similar Expression of Interest process in 2023 to build capacity in the therapy disciplines.
My Department is committed to working closely with the Department of Health and its agencies to ensure that the conditions are in place to support further growth in educational provision.
1030. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has received correspondence (details supplied) from a group of 1st year students from the University of Limerick who are partaking in a business studies degree and who have been tasked with a social and civic engagement project; when he intends to review and response to this group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13535/23]
View answerI have reviewed the correspondence from the students from the University of Limerick and the responses to their queries are below. I wish them the best of luck in their academic careers.
1. A renewal of the Leaving certificate process to reduce stress on students so they can meet their full potential.
In March 2022 my colleague, the Minister for Education, announced an ambitious programme of work for a reimagined Senior Cycle of second-level education where the student is at the centre of their Senior Cycle experience. The redevelopment of Senior Cycle will:
- Empower students to meet the challenges of the 21st century;
- Enrich the student experience and build on what is strong in our current system; and
- Embed wellbeing and reduce student stress levels,
The reforms announced include initiatives to spread the assessment load for students and do so in a way that enhances student wellbeing. The reforms at Senior Cycle will broaden the ways used to assess and accredit students’ achievement, to better reflect and encourage the learning we wish to promote. Over the coming years, all Leaving Certificate subjects will have assessment components additional to the conventional written examinations. For each subject, teacher-based assessment will be worth 40% of the final mark. In addition to teacher-based assessment, subjects may also have other additional components outside of the final written exam.
2. A review of the CAO points system for admittance to college to allow more students a chance at their dream courses.
It is a priority of my Department to expand the pathways to tertiary education and expand provision of courses, particularly in areas of acute skills demand.
There are a range of options within the further and higher educational and training system, and pathways to careers that students can consider. For anyone who doesn’t gain access to their course of choice immediately, there is often an alternative path available to them. That could be through further education or apprenticeship, or through other courses in higher education.
The Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) determine their own procedures for admission, in line with their statutory autonomy. The Central Applications Office (CAO), who are an independent body, 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. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the operation of the CAO or the admissions decisions of institutions.
3. The need for easing the financial burdens on students and families.
The Deputy may be aware that I recently instigated improvements to the student grant scheme in Budget 2022. For the academic year 2022/23, I increased the income threshold to qualify for the standard rate of student grant by €1,000, while all maintenance grant holders benefited from an increase of €200. I also announced a range of further measures to enhance the scheme as part of Budget 2023. Some of these cost-of-living measures commenced in 2022.
As part of the Government's cost of living measures:
- Every SUSI maintenance grant recipient received an additional once-off extra maintenance payment to be paid by the end of December 2022. This included PLC, undergraduate and Postgraduate Students who are in receipt of the Special Rate of Grant.
- All higher education students who are eligible for the fees initiative benefited from a once off reduction in the Student Contribution rate of €1,000 for the 2022/2023 academic year. For those on the 50% Student Contribution rate this reduction meant that the balance the student paid to their Higher Education Institution was €1,000 (a reduction of €500) for the current academic year.
- PhD students funded by the SFI and the IRC also benefited from a once off payment of €500 in the current academic year.
- Postgraduate Students who met the eligibility criteria for a Postgraduate Fee Contribution Grant benefited from a once off increase in this grant of €1,000 from €3,500 to €4,500.
In addition, I increased all maintenance grants effective from January 2023 in order to provide further financial assistance to those students most in need. The special rate and Band 1 rate of maintenance increased by 14% and all other maintenance grant rates increased by 10%.
I have also made two changes to the income thresholds for the student contribution grant for the academic year 2023/24 which will reduce the cost of education for students and families by:-
- Increasing the income limit from €55,240 to €62,000 for students to avail of the 50% Undergraduate Student Contribution and
- Introducing a new Student Contribution grant to the value of €500 for qualifying families on incomes earning between €62,000 and €100,000.
It is estimated that between 42,500 and 50,000 families could receive support under the Student Grant Scheme in 2023 for the first time as a result of these measures.
I also introduced two further measures, whereby income up to €14,000 as declared to Revenue under the Government's Rent a Room Scheme will not be counted as reckonable income when calculating eligibility for the 2023/2024 academic year. In addition, the holiday earnings provision under the Student Grant Scheme will allow for a deduction up to a maximum amount of €6552 (an increase from €4500) to be applied to student earnings outside of term time within the reference period when calculating reckonable income for grant eligibility for the 2023/2024 academic year. As a result of both measures some students may find that they will receive a higher rate of grant and some new students may also find themselves eligible for a grant for the first time once these measures are introduced.
In addition, for the 2022/2023 Academic Year, a further €8 million of funding has been secured for the Student Assistance Fund for the current academic year. Students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). The Fund provides financial support to students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college. Students can apply for SAF to help with either temporary or ongoing financial difficulties and can be assisted towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. It is open to both full and part-time registered students on courses of not less than one year's duration leading to an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification. It is designed to provide a source of financial support in addition to a SUSI grant.
Applications can be made under the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) through the Access Office in the third level institution you are attending. They will have more information concerning their own HEI. More information on this fund and other supports are also available at www.studentfinance.ie
4. The need to alleviate stress on the student accommodation by other means
I am actively addressing the difficulties faced by students in accessing affordable student accommodation. Fundamentally the challenge of affordable student accommodation is one of supply of housing more generally.
The outbreak of war in Ukraine has compounded the impact of Brexit and Covid 19, with the rising cost of construction and fossil fuels posing significant difficulties for higher education institutions wishing to build new student accommodation. The higher cost of finance has also significantly contributed to the overall cost of new projects. A number of HEI’s have had to pause their student accommodation projects as a result of these challenges.
To assist in restarting the HEI projects, on 29 November 2022, I secured Government approval to develop both short and medium term policy responses to activate supply of affordable student accommodation.
These landmark policy responses will, for the first time, see the state providing financial support for the construction of student accommodation, and underpins the policy commitments set out in Housing for All and the National Access Plan. They will ensure increased availability of and promote greater access to student accommodation, in particular for disadvantaged students.
In November 2022, the Government approved funding to support the development of accommodation for students of the University of Limerick, Maynooth University and the University of Galway. In March 2023, further funding was secured for the delivery of 405 additional student accommodation beds in DCU. These developments have or will imminently have planning permission but had stalled as a result of increased construction costs.
My Department and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) are actively working through the financial and governance due diligence process for these projects and have contracted an external consultancy, Mazars, to undertake a feasibility study on these projects, in line with the Public Spending Code.
In addition, the Department is working with the Office of the Attorney General to ensure EU State Aid requirements are adhered to.
The Department is also examining a proposal with potential phasing options at UCD. TCD and UCC also have projects that could potentially benefit from the short-term activation scheme.
In the longer term, a broad range of methods to increase supply of student accommodation are under consideration. Support of €1m is being provided to our Technological Universities (TUs) to conduct a needs assessment and to identify appropriate regional activation responses. My Department is also examining the development of a TU Borrowing Framework in conjunction with other Government Departments, in line with the commitments in "Housing for All".
All higher education institutions continue to support their students to find accommodation in the private rental sector through, for example, the encouragement of room rental or ‘student digs’ in family homes.
My officials and I are continuing to work alongside our Government colleagues to examine the full range of measures that may assist students in finding appropriate accommodation.
1031. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of a huge crisis in student accommodation in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13567/23]
View answerI am aware of and actively addressing the difficulties faced by students in accessing affordable student accommodation. Fundamentally the challenge of affordable student accommodation is one of supply of housing more generally, and the impact of the global economy on the cost of construction.
To assist with the shortage of accommodation for our students, on 29 November 2022, I secured Government approval to develop both short and medium term policy responses to activate supply of affordable student accommodation.
These landmark policy responses will, for the first time, see the state providing financial support for the construction of student accommodation, and underpins the policy commitments set out in Housing for All and the National Access Plan. They will ensure increased availability of and promote greater access to student accommodation, in particular for disadvantaged students.
To date our Government has approved funding support to develop nearly 1,100 additional state supported accommodation for students across a number of universities. These developments have or will imminently have planning permission but have stalled as a result of increased construction costs.
In parallel, longer term policy development is being advanced to examine a broader range of methods to increase supply of student accommodation. Support of €1m is being provided to our Technological Universities (TUs) to conduct a needs assessment and to identify appropriate regional activation responses. The funding will provide consultancy support to undertake a cohesive and regional focused feasibility study for each TU.
I am aware of the accommodation referred to in Cork by the Deputy. This is a privately owned and operated accommodation unit, which is under going planned refurbishment. I am conscious that this will in the short term reduce availability at this development for students.
I can confirm that UCC has recently opened applications for the new PBSA at the Crow’s Nest site for the 2023/2024 academic year. This development is located at the junction of Victoria Cross and Carrigrohane Road and consists of 255 new beds. These beds are in addition to the 1361 beds currently on campus in UCC. UCC are also actively engaging with my officials to examine options for the provision of additional supply of student accommodation in Cork city.
While there is no on-campus purpose built student accommodation within the Munster Technological University currently, there are private developments under construction in the vicinity. In addition the feasibility study being undertaken will identify key accommodation needs and
Table 1 attached provides an overview of all PBSA developments on site of with planning permission in Cork.
My officials and I are reviewing a range measures to stimulate supply of accommodation for our students, including the identification and reuse of vacant premises which may be particularly suitable for regional locations. We are also examining the expansion of the Capital Devolved Grant to provide assistance for the development or refurbishment of student accommodation.
All higher education institutions continue to support their students to find accommodation in the private rental sector through, for example, the encouragement of room rental or ‘student digs’ in family homes. A homeowner can rent a room, retain their social welfare entitlements where applicable, and earn up to €14,000 in rental income before having to pay tax.
1032. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 463 of 28 February 2023, his views on the disparity for accreditation of similar SNA courses in two different third level institutions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13707/23]
View answerHigher Education Institutions are autonomous with regard to their academic affairs. Both UCD and St Angela’s College, which is a constituent college of the University of Galway, are Designating Awarding Bodies. These bodies hold their own statutory awarding powers and have established processes and procedures for the validation of the courses and awards that they offer. The validation of these courses and awards is subject to each Institution’s internal quality assurance processes. These processes are established in line with the corresponding standards and criteria for award types and levels on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). The Minister would have no role in these processes.
In the cases outlined, it is a matter for UCD and the University of Galway to determine the appropriate NFQ level for the awards they respectively offer. This would be based on the design of each course, the course content and the learning outcomes that students would be intended to achieve.
1033. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider adding the specific family circumstances of young carers as a ground for determining eligibility for SUSI grants for third level and further education courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13739/23]
View answerThe principal support provided by my Department is the student grant scheme, which makes available means-tested financial assistance to students in further and higher education. Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students on full-time courses who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved course, previous academic attainment and means.
The special rate of maintenance grant is the highest rate of maintenance grant available and is targeted at those students most in the need. One of the qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant is that the reckonable income must include one of the eligible long-term social welfare payments prescribed in Schedule 2 of the Student Grant Scheme. I can confirm that Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit are both eligible social welfare payments for the special rate of maintenance grant. In addition to Carer’s Allowance, the Carer’s Support Grant (where paid to recipients of the Carer’s Allowance and Domiciliary Care Allowance) and the Domiciliary Care Allowance are classified as an “income disregards” and these payments are not included in calculating reckonable income.
As the Deputy is aware, carers have been named as a priority group in our new National Access Plan. We will continue to examine supports for all target groups identified in the NAP. I will keep the Deputy aware of this matter.
1034. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider adding the specific family circumstances of young carers as a ground for determining eligibility for HEAR grants for third level and further education courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13740/23]
View answerMy Department does not have direct responsibility for the HEAR scheme. It is owned and operated by participating Higher Education Institutions. HEAR is a reduced points higher education admissions scheme for Leaving Certificate students (under 23) whose economic or social background are underrepresented in higher education rather than a grant.
HEAR currently has no specific entry mechanism for young carers. Young carers can apply to the scheme but, like other applicants they must meet a combination of socioeconomic indicators to be eligible for HEAR. Applications to HEAR evidencing carer’s allowance in the home are considered as a means tested Social Welfare payment, which is one of HEARs qualifying socioeconomic indicators.
Full details of the criteria can be accessed at HEAR - Access College.
1035. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider setting aside funding for the financing of dedicated educational bursaries for young carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13743/23]
View answerAwaiting reply from Department.
1036. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on the site selection process for the Swords College of Further Education and Training, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13804/23]
View answerAt the end of last year, I was delighted to announce that Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB’s strategic proposal was successful at the first stage of the assessment process under the FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund.
This proposal will now move to the next stage of the process which will entail the development of a preliminary business case in line with public spending code requirements. As part of this stage Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB will also be required to carry out a robust site selection process. Possible site options will be identified following completion of this stage. Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB will be meeting with my Department and SOLAS next week to progress their Preliminary Business Case.
1037. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to address persisting inequalities in the receipt of pensions across higher education institutions, namely for individuals in the technological university sector and certain research staff who are still ineligible to join the public sector pension scheme. [13865/23]
View answerI am firmly of the view that there should be access to public service pensions for research staff in all higher education institutions across the sector.As such, my Department has been engaging positively with management bodies, the Department for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the Department of Education on a business case to support access to the single public service pension scheme for those researchers who are not currently able to join the scheme.This is a complex matter and is admittedly taking some time to resolve, but I wish to assure the Deputy that officials are working to achieve a resolution as soon as possible.
