Written Answers Nos. 384-392
386. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the degree to which higher education costs have increased over the past number of years; the extent of financial assistance now available for all students seeking to avail of third-level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45995/23]
View answerIn respect of Higher Education Costs - for the majority of students Budget 2023 and Budget 2024 has had the effect of reducing the cost of higher education. For the second year in a row, as a cost of living measure I have reduced the student contribution fee by €1,000 for free fees eligible students and increased the postgraduate fee contribution grant by €1000.
I am very much aware that the rising cost of living is impacting students, and I have ensured that measures to support students have formed a core part of the Government's overall response to cost of living issues.
For students who are in receipt of a maintenance grant there have been increases to maintenance grants over the past number of budgets. From September 2024 all non-adjacent maintenance rates will increase by €615 and all adjacent maintenance rates by 10%. Importantly I am commencing this benefit effective from January 2024 so maintenance grant recipients in the current academic year will see their grant payments increase proportionally.
I will also be restoring maintenance grants to eligible postgraduate students with pro-rata grants also commencing effective from January 2024
Effective from September 2024 two student grant income thresholds including Band 4 maintenance grant threshold and 100% Student Contribution threshold are increasing.
Also from September 2024, for the first time ever, a Part-Time fee grant scheme will be open to eligible part-time students. I genuinely believe that this has the potential to be seismic in the context of opening up opportunities for people, reducing higher education costs for students and is a major step in the reform of the education system.
In addition the Rent Tax Credit is increasing to €750 per individual and €1,500 per jointly assessed couple for 2024 and 2025. Payments made by parents in respect of “digs” or rent-a-room arrangements for their children to attend an approved course will now qualify for the Rent Tax Credit. This is provided the claimant and their child are not related to the landlord. This change will apply retrospectively for the years 2022 and 2023.
In respect of the Further Education Sector PLC charges levied across the sector will be removed from next September.
As an immediate and tangible relief against the challenges of the rising cost of living Budget 2024 has also provided an additional €8.1m to the Student Assistance Fund bringing the allocation for this year to over €17.6m
Students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended.
388. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the degree to which he continues to make provision for an increased number of technical graduates/apprentices in order to meet the needs of individual sectors in the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45997/23]
View answerThe ‘Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025’ sets out new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships. The ambitions of the Plan span both financial and non-financial measures.
Significant financial supports to employers that have been introduced include:
• The annual Employer Grant of €2,000 per apprentice means that employers of all apprentices now have access to financial support, either through direct payment of allowances to apprentices or through the grant.
• The gender-based bursary of €2,666 is available for those who employ apprentices in the minority gender on any national apprenticeship programme with greater than 80% representation of a single gender.
Non-financial supports to employers introduced include:
• The One More Job initiative provides tailored financial and training supports to Irish micro- and small-businesses who employ one or more apprentices in 2023.
• Free online mentoring for employers new to training apprentices, grants towards training costs, and guidance from the One More Job team during the first year of training.
Through Budget 2024, I am continuing to invest in our apprenticeship system. Apprenticeships have a crucial role to play in meeting Ireland’s skills needs now and into the future, and significantly contribute to meeting the Government’s commitments on Housing for All, and the Climate Action Plan.
Building on the measures taken over 2021-23, Budget 2024 provides €67m additional investment into the apprenticeship system. This will allow craft apprenticeship to continue to grow from 13,000 places in 2022 to over 16,000 places in 2024, and reduce the length of time an apprentice waits for training.
Furthermore, I want to make apprenticeship an attractive career path and one that is accessible for all young people. In that regard, I am delighted to confirm that there will be increased funding of €400,000 for a bursary for apprentices from under-represented groups.
More broadly, I recognise the impact that the cost of living is having on our apprentices. This is why I am particularly pleased that apprentices will benefit from €3.8m to enable a one-third reduction in the Apprenticeship Student Contribution Fee for those attending higher education institutions in the 2023/24 academic year. This is targeted at relieving the immediate pressure associated with making this payment. It is anticipated that circa 11,000 apprentices in higher education will benefit from this measure.
I am satisfied that these measures and supports will have a significant impact in ensuring greater capacity and uptake in the apprenticeship system.
390. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on a recent announcement (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46048/23]
View answerI was delighted to travel to East Clare earlier this week to announce that the proposal put forward by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board for their FET campus near Scariff is to be funded as part of the next tranche of capital investment under the Further Education and Training (FET) Strategic Infrastructure Upgrade Fund.
This funding will support Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board in adding a purpose-built extension to the College of FET campus. This will allow the campus to increase their range of options available to include courses such as Construction and Engineering in Scariff. These courses and their availability are crucial as they will help to meet the skills and lifelong learning demands locally and nationally.
This investment is of huge importance and will benefit those learners who are to come through the door in the coming years. This purpose-built extension will facilitate integrated FET learning on one Campus, enhancing the crucial role our Further Education Institutions play in supporting an inclusive and progressive society which serves the needs of everyone in society.
I am deeply committed to supporting Further Education Institutes and the wider sector in achieving their vision for FET education and provision and ensuring that we have the appropriate infrastructure to support our learners and teaching staff.
391. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail cén uair a cheadófar deontas, mar atá iarrtha ag Comhairle Contae na Gaillimhe le staidéar a dhéanamh ar na féidireachtaí cur le na saoráidí calaíochta ag Céibh an Chalaidh Mhóir in Inis Meáin; an fáth go bhfuil moil ag ceadú an staidéir seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [45958/23]
View answerMar is eol don Teachta, is é Comhairle Contae na Gaillimhe atá freagrach as forbairt céanna ar na hOileáin Árainn, Inis Meáin san áireamh. Bíonn cruinnithe rialta idir feidhmeannaigh na Roinne agus an Chomhairle Contae chun plé agus monatóireacht a dhéanamh ar fhorbairt céanna ar Inis Oírr agus Inis Meáin.
Tuigtear dom go bhfuil oifigigh ó Chomhairle Chontae na Gaillimhe ag ullmhú na cáipéisí riachtanacha chun comhairleoirí a cheapadh chun cuidiú le Réamhchás Gnó a ullmhú. Is gá seo a dhéanamh i gcomhréir leis an gCód Caiteachais Phoiblí chun breathnú ar gach aon rogha a d’fhéadfadh a bheith ann chun áiseanna sábháilte cuain a chur ar fáil ar Inis Meáin.
Pléadh na dréacht-cháipéisí ag cruinniú idir mo Roinn agus an Chomhairle Contae an tseachtain seo, agus tuigtear dom go bhfuil tuilleadh oibre fós le déanamh orthu sular féidir tairiscintí a lorg.
Is fiú a nótáil nach bhfuil aon deontas iarrtha ag Comhairle Contae na Gaillimhe i leith na hoibre seo agus nach bhféadfaí a leithéid a iarradh ná a cheadú nó go mbeidh an próiseas tairsceana curtha i gcrích agus comhairleoirí réidh le ceapadh.
Is féidir a bheith cinnte nach gcuirfidh mo Roinn aon mhoill ar an bpróiseas ach na céimeanna cuí bheith glactha ag an gComhairle Contae ar dtús. Leanfaidh mo Roinn ag comhoibriú le Comhairle Contae na Gaillimhe ar mhaithe leis an bpróiseas sin a thabhairt chun críche chomh luath agus is féidir.
392. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development whether her Department is willing to fund or co-fund the provision of an undersea fibre cable to each offshore island that is included in the National Broadband Plan, out of the dedicated islands fund available to her Department, as mainland to island fibre was not provided for in the National Broadband plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45959/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware,responsibility for the National Broadband Plan rests with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC). Any queries relating to the roll-out of the plan and specification of cables and connections should be directed to DECC.
With regards to the islands, the Deputy will be aware that I recently launched Our Living Islands, the Government's National Islands Policy in June, along with a three year action plan. Within that, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has committed to delivering high-speed broadband to broadband connection points, digital hubs and schools on the islands as well as reviewing the timeline for the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan to accelerate the deployment programme for delivery of access to high speed broadband to every premises.
My Department will continue to engage with DECC regarding the implementation of these commitments and to discuss with them any concerns or opportunities to ensure the delivery of quality high speed broadband connection to island communities in line with the commitments in Our Living Islands.
