Thursday, 20 Apr 2023

Written Answers Nos. 411-416

Third Level Education

Questions (411)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

411. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if access to university via the HEAR programme can be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18638/23]

Written answers

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

The Deputy will be aware that the HEAR (Higher Education Access Route) scheme is a reduced points mechanisms for entry into higher education. The HEAR scheme is managed and operated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) on behalf of the Higher Education Institutions who set the policy criteria for the scheme. Admissions under the schemes are regulated by the higher education institutions themselves.

Under the scheme a person can make an appeal for reasons such as missing the closing date. Appeals relating to missing the HEAR application closing date should be made in writing to the CAO Independent Appeals Commission.

The CAO Independent Appeals Commission will consider appeals from:

- Applicants who miss the HEAR March 1 deadline

- Applicants who missed the HEAR March 15 deadline, i.e. applicants who applied to HEAR by March 1 but did not provide any of the required supporting documents by March 15.

- Applicants who miss the July Review & Appeals deadlines, i.e. applicants who met the March 1 and March 15 deadlines, received an ineligible application outcome letter from HEAR but missed the Review & Appeals deadline

As such, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has no role in the administration of the scheme or the appeals process.

However, I can advise the Deputy that the review and appeals process is in place to make sure that all HEAR applicants are treated fairly and that the assessment procedures have been applied consistently. Further information on the appeals process is available at: www.accesscollege.ie/hear/making-an-application/hear-review-and-appeals/.

Subsequently, applicants also have recourse to make an appeal to the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman’s service is free, independent and impartial, and the applicant may wish to consider contacting the Ombudsman’s Office to see whether an appeals process is open to him/her.

Further information and contact details for the Ombudsman’s Office are available at: www.ombudsman.ie/publications/information-leaflets/The-Ombudsman-and-Education-services.pdf.

Technological Universities

Questions (412)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

412. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will clarify if a veterinary college will be included under Munster Technological University (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18619/23]

Written answers

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

My Department does not place a quota on the number of places on veterinary medicine courses offered by Higher Education Institutions and Munster Technological University is autonomous, within the meaning of the Technological Universities Act 2018 in relation to the courses it chooses to offer.

However, I would note the significant infrastructural, placement and regulatory requirements of delivering places in veterinary medicine which has limited the number of places institutions have created.

For this reason, the Higher Education Authority recently ran a process to identify where capacity could be built in the higher education sector in a number of key disciplines of veterinary medicine, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and dentistry.

As I am still reviewing the submission from the HEA, it is not possible to say how many further places may be delivered at this time, which higher education institutions may be involved, or in what specific areas these places may be made available. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Minister for Health and I will consider opportunities for new programme provision alongside options for current programme expansion to determine a final list of options.

Our Departments will be engaging closely on this matter to consider these options, having regard to workforce plans and projected demand for graduates.

Further and Higher Education

Questions (413)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

413. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the supports and advance guidance she provides to higher level institutions and 3rd level institutions regarding gambling addiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18675/23]

Written answers

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

My Department has allocated €5 million to the Higher Education Authority for mental health and well-being services this year in Higher Education Institutes.

As autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of mental health and well-being funding, including the funding of student services, such as support for people dealing with gambling addiction, is a matter for each Institute so the information would not generally be available. I can inform you however, that two HEIs have reported that they are providing support services to students on gambling awareness using some of the funds provided.

Departmental Consultations

Questions (414)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

414. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the details of each time his Department, or public bodies under the aegis of his Department, enlisted the services of consultants in 2022; the purpose and value of each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18733/23]

Written answers

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Deputy Simon Harris)

The information requested by the Deputy in relation to enlisted services from consultants in 2022 is attached in tabular form. The information in respect of public bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document, should the Deputy wish to contact the aegis bodies directly with her query.

Aegis Body Contacts for Oireachtas

		Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Name of Body	Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas	Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members
Higher Education Authority	[e-mail]	Padraic Mellett*
Irish Research Council( Note 1)	[e-mail]	Padraic Mellett*
Grangegorman Development Agency	[e-mail]	[e-mail]
SOLAS	[e-mail]	Maria Walsh [e-mail]
Skillnets Ltd	[e-mail]	[e-mail]
Quality and Qualifications Ireland	[e-mail]	[e-mail]
Léargas – The Exchange Bureau	[e-mail]	[e-mail]
Science Foundation Ireland	[e-mail]	Ciara Cotter

Note 1 – In regard to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and the Irish Research Council (IRC) as the IRC operates under the auspices of the HEA. Mr Mellett will address Oireachtas queries for both the HEA and IRC. Please use [e-mail] and [e-mail] respectively to contact Mr Mellett.

Consultants

	Purpose of consultancy	Start date	End date	Total value of contract	Supplier
1	ICT advisory services	24/5/2022	31/12/2022	€26,660	Orbidal
2	ICT consultancy services	04/07/2022	31/12/2023	€126,000	BDO Eaton Square
3	Support the development of policy to progress a more unified tertiary education system and the preparation of five thought leadership papers on this theme.	03/10/2022	03/10/2023	€20,000	BH Associates
4	The Provision of Services pursuant to Request for Tenders (RFT) for the Establishment of a Multi Supplier Framework for the Provision of Accounting, Audit and Financial Advisory Services	01/10/2022	30/09/2023	€75,000	Deloitte Ireland LLC
5	Provision of strategic consultancy support services	04/01/2022	12/12/2022	€24,600	Gate One Consulting

Third Level Staff

Questions (415)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

415. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of vacant lecture positions per National University and subject in 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [18809/23]

Written answers

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

As the Deputy will appreciate, universities are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997. As such, individual institutions are responsible for staffing matters, including the management of vacant lecturing positions.

As Minister, I rightly have no direct role in that regard, and, accordingly, my Department does not collect nor have access to the data requested by the Deputy.

Departmental Consultations

Questions (416)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

416. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of each time her Department, or public bodies under the aegis of her Department, enlisted the services of consultants in 2022; the purpose and value of each contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18738/23]

Written answers

Minister for Rural and Community Development

The details the Deputy has requested for my Department are set out in the table below.

Consultant	Purpose	Value
Curran Futures	Investment Fund Consultant contributed to the Periodic Critical Review of the Western Development Commission	€22,140.00
NorthPoint Aviation	Consultation service in publishing a EU compliant PSO air service Tender document for the Aran Islands air service	€5,000
Onside	Support with the renewal of sponsorship for the SuperValu TidyTowns competition for the period 2023-2027	€27,675
Crowe Advisory Ireland	To facilitate the design, planning and hosting of a national civic forum event including preparatory focus groups, a mid-project progress report with recommendations and a project outcomes report.	€27,839.50
Grant Thornton	Support with the development of Our People Strategy 2022-2025, DRCD Values, and a Leadership Development Programme.	€103,960
Amárach Research, Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland, Irish Local Development Network.	To administer Baseline Data Gathering Exercise of Social Enterprise in Ireland. To develop a methodology, carry out a survey and draft a report.	€125,398.50

The Agencies under the remit of my Department are governed by independent boards and executives and therefore are independent in their own financial, governance and operational matters, including managing their own consultancy arrangements.