Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2023
878. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his main policy and legislative priorities for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55209/23]
View answerMy Department’s Statement of Strategy 2023 -2025 was published recently. It outlines the policy and legislative priorities of the Department for the coming years. More immediately, my Department is working across all areas within its remit on a variety of initiatives.
Key legislative priorities for 2024 is the continued progressing of the Construction Safety Licensing Bill. The Committee Stage in the Dáil (stage 3) has been completed. The Department is now waiting to begin preparation for Report Stage. The second key legislative priority for 2023 is the Research and Innovation Bill, of which Government agreement for its publication has been announced. The bill provides for the amalgamation of the Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland, and the establishment of a new research and innovation funding agency, Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland.
Under the theme of Developing Talent, these include:
• The development of a new Tertiary Education Strategy.
• Leading work in relation to the Department’s engagement with the Housing for All policy, through the promotion of construction related careers, training in Modern Methods of Construction, identification of future capacity requirements for the sector.
• Progression of the Construction Safety Licensing Bill.
• Ensuring the provision of Green Skills, including delivery of the national offshore wind energy agenda in conjunction with partner Departments and bodies.
• Reforming approaches to career guidance provision, including through the development of a single national online portal.
• Supporting the Creative Youth Plan 2023- 2027 including through identifying aims, principles and features of a creative campus, in collaboration with further and higher education institutions, the creative sectors and communities.
• Establishing appropriate workforce planning structures with relevant Departments to strengthen alignment of Higher Education provision with skills needs, and with a particular focus on healthcare and disability services.
• Reconfiguring Ireland’s Skills system through refreshing the mandate and membership of the National
• Skills Council and the establishment of a new High Level Skills Implementation Group.
In efforts to Promote Research, we will:
• Progress the Research and Innovation Bill and oversee the amalgamation of Science Foundation Ireland and the Irish Research Council.
• Implement Impact 2030 – the National Research and Innovation Strategy.
• Establish new Science Advisory Structures to support Government, and appoint a new Government Science Advisor.
• Strengthen connections between Government Departments and the public research system.
• Enhance career supports and career progression for researchers and consider recommendations from the State Support of PhD researchers review.
• Progress Ireland’s application to become a member of CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
• Continue to progress funding for projects under the Strategic Infrastructure Upgrade Fund.
• Progress the implementation of the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate across the tertiary sector.
The Department is also committed to Supporting Inclusion. In that context, we will:
• Oversee delivery of the National Access Plan 2022-2028.
• Support the adoption of Universal Design principles in Higher Education institutions.
• Develop policy responses to eliminate sexual violence and harassment and bullying.
• Support Higher Education Institutions to deliver affordable student accommodation.
• Implement “Adult Literacy for Life” - the 10- year Adult Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Skills Strategy.
• Support implementation of Digital for Good, Ireland’s Digital Inclusion Roadmap to make Ireland one of the most digitally inclusive States in the EU.
In relation to Global Engagement, the Department will:
• Publish and implement a new International Education and Research Strategy.
• Closely engage with European Funding Programmes such as Horizon Europe and the European Social Fund Plus to ensure Irish researchers are positioned to participate to the greatest extent possible.
• Advance North South cooperation efforts in line with “New Decade, New Approach”, in cooperation with Department of An Taoiseach, in the development of all-island research centres, capacity building in North-South research collaboration, the development of Ulster University Magee Campus and oversight of projects under the Peace +Programme, as well as the inclusion of students from Northern Ireland in Erasmus+.
• Commence advance preparations for the next Irish Presidency of the EU, due to take place in the second half of 2026.
• Implement the International Education Mark.
In promoting System Performance and Reform, we will work to:
• Ensure full implementation of the new HEA Act 2022 and the transitions required in relation to the Governing Boards of Higher Education Institutions.
• Continue the development of the Technological Universities, including the development of new management and academic leadership structures and reformed staff contracts. A key focus will be enhanced research and innovation capabilities, including new research and innovation offices to support engagement and better position the institutions to secure external research funding.
• Drive reform and transformation in the Further Education and Training sector, with regard to staffing framework structures, the FET practitioner and the design of the FET College of the Future.
• Continue the rollout of the FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund to address deficits in existing infrastructure.
• In close coordination with the HEA, progress projects under the Technological Sector Strategic Projects Fund.
• Progress initiatives in line with the Funding the Future policy, including with regard to policy on part time educational provision, new programmes of study, approaches to employment controls and funding reforms.
• Prepare the new Unified Tertiary System policy approach.
• Continue implementation of the Action Plan for Apprenticeships, including with regard to public sector apprenticeships.
• Ensure the delivery of the emergency response to address the COVID-19 related backlog in apprenticeship off-the-job training phases.
In relation to Capital Programmes the Government in continuing work on the following:
Delivery of 11 buildings major buildings by public private partnership. The buildings are divided into 2 bundles, Bundle 1 comprising of 6 buildings is under construction with sites in Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) Tallaght and Blanchardstown campuses; Munster Technological University (MTU) campuses in Cork and Tralee, the Athlone campus of Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) and in the Institute of Art, Design and Technology(IADT), Dún Laoghaire. Bundle 2 consists of 5 projects in Atlantic Technological University (ATU) campuses in Letterkenny and Galway; South East Technological University (SETU) campuses in Waterford and Carlow and at TUS Athlone, currently at tender stage. When all 11 buildings are completed, they will comprise circa 73,000m2 of additional building space at the campuses and will cater for circa 11,700 additional student places.
The department is also working to deliver four targeted major capital programmes:
• a Technological Sector Strategic Projects Fund focused on investments that provide essential additional capacity and strengthen the role of Technological Universities as drivers of regional development
• the Higher Education Strategic Infrastructure Fund, which co-funds strategic projects to a maximum of 50%
• a FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund, which will support projects that can help drive reform of the FET sector, including consolidation of provision in high quality facilities, integration of further education and training, realisation of centres of excellence, and unified tertiary planning
• a Strategic Infrastructure Upgrade Fund, which will support smaller-scale investments in existing FET infrastructure, ensuring that works are progressed within the context of an overall strategic plan for the building and aligned with FET College of the Future principles
The Government agreed to support the development of long term evidence informed strategic policy to stimulate appropriate supply of student accommodation. Minister Harris and his officials are working closely with the HEA, the Local Authorities and the wider sector on the development of a long term policy response for State supported student accommodation.
A key policy priority for 2024 is the implementation of a long term policy for additional state supported student accommodation for target group students. This policy has been informed by the results of the first phase of the TU study and engagement with key stakeholders which has been presented to the Cabinet Committee on Housing on the 18th of December. This policy and methodology will inform the schemes and strategies which will be developed throughout 2024.
To date, as a short term measure to address challenges faced by students in assessing accommodation, the Government has approved in principle a total of up to €61m in funding to unlock the development of circa 1,000 beds at DCU, MU, UL, and UG, with delivery beginning in 2025. These were developments with planning permission but which had stalled due to the increased cost of construction and finance. 30% of the units will be made available at below market rates to the target cohort of students. 2024 will see the progression of these specific projects to tender and construction.
In addition, the recent Budget announcements also saw positive developments for the sector. These include:
- A €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students eligible for the free fees initiative. When taken together with the new €500 student contribution grant the student contribution fee will be halved to €1,500 for eligible families with a household income of between €62,000 and €100,000.
- An increase to the Postgraduate Fee Contribution Grant from €4,000 to €5,000.
- A once-off reduction of 33 percent in the contribution fee for apprentices in higher education.
- A further €8.1 million investment in the Student Assistance Fund for the 2023/24 academic year bringing the total to over €17 million.
- The removal of Post Leaving Cert (PLC) fees from September 2024
-An increase to all non-adjacent maintenance rates by €615 and adjacent maintenance rates by 10% from September 2024, with a pro-rata increase effective from January 2024.
- The full restoration of student maintenance grants for post graduates from September 2024 for the first time since the financial crash. A pro-rata increase will also be effective from January 2024.
- From September 2024, student contribution fees will be abolished for all incomes under €55,924. For the first time ever, this will include students on specified undergraduate part time/part-time online courses. In addition, maintenance grants will be available to households with incomes up to €50,840 (up from €46,790).
- Renters’ tax credit is being extended to parents who pay for student children’s rent in the case of Rent a Room accommodation or “digs”. This change will also apply retrospectively for the years 2022 and 2023
Budget 2024 saw a budget of €4.148 billion for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science including:
- funding of € 4.1 million to increase the number of medicine places.
- funding to support the National Tertiary Office in expanding the number of joint degree programmes outside the CAO.
- funding of €67 million for continued growth of apprenticeship from 13,000 places in 2022 to over 16,000 places in 2024, helping boost skills development.
- the start of a new scheme to help employers with the cost of upskilling and reskilling staff.
