Written Answers Nos. 71-95
71. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health with reference to the current HSE recruitment pause, if permanent members of staff returning from career breaks will be facilitated to return to their previously held roles in the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1744/24]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently not in a position to answer PQs due to industrial action. It is hoped that normal services will resume soon. In the meantime, this Department will continue to refer PQs to HSE for their direct reply as soon as possible.
72. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on his plans to end hospital overcrowding in Cork hospitals, considering 2023 was the worst year on record; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1978/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
73. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if sepsis protocols in public hospitals will be updated in order that every patient, at the time of triaging or admission, is asked if they have ever had sepsis before; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1989/24]
View answerAs this Parliamentary Question relates to service delivery, which is an operational matter for the HSE, it has been referred directly to the HSE for reply.
83. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the development of Cavan Institute as a hub for further education and training. [1935/24]
View answerI thank the Deputy for her question.
The Deputy will be aware that Cavan Monaghan ETB have been working with and supported by SOLAS in developing their preliminary business case proposal for Cavan Town under the College of the Future Major Projects fund for the last number of months. The development of a robust Preliminary Business Case (PBC) is fundamental to the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines (Formerly known as the Public Spending Code guidelines).
Completed preliminary business cases including that of Cavan Monaghan ETB were submitted to SOLAS by the deadline of last Friday, the 12th of January. These business cases will shortly begin to be evaluated under criteria such as value for money, affordability and strategic policy and priority alignment, in line with the requirements of the infrastructure guidelines, and ETBs will be informed of the outcome of this evaluation process once it is completed.
To address interim accommodation needs, I approved the acquisition and fit out of a substantial modular unit for CMETB, facilitating the opening of the new Education and Training Facility for Cavan Institute at its FET Campus last September. This facility gives 300 students access to a range of PLC programmes and allows for the further growth of Cavan Institute.
Capital investment is a key priority for me and for my department and I recognise the importance of infrastructure development to support the FET sector to provide high quality campuses for our learners and teaching staff.
My officials and SOLAS will continue to work closely with Cavan Monaghan ETB to ensure that the appropriate infrastructures are in place to meet the needs of their learners and staff.
86. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what measures are being taken to resolve current delays in apprenticeship in-class learning modules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2030/24]
View answerAs Minister I have ensured an unrelenting focus on growing participation in apprenticeships. Underpinned by the measures in the Action Plan for Apprenticeship, the impact is very clear and positive, with significant growth of apprenticeship over the past number of years. Since 2021, over 27,000 people have registered as apprentices. Craft apprenticeship registrations for 2021- 2023 were 19,842, an increase of almost 49% over the preceding two years.
This increased demand for apprenticeship compounded by the impact of closures of apprenticeship training facilities during the pandemic challenged the capacity of the training system resulting in significant delays in off-the-job training in craft apprenticeships peaking at 11,859 in August 2021. While substantial reductions in this figure were achieved subsequently significant delays persisted into last year.
Consequently, intensive work was undertaken by SOLAS and the ETBs to secure a reductions in training delays.
I am pleased to confirm there has been a significant fall in the number of people waiting to 4,018 at the end of December 2023; 3,919 at Phase 2, and the remainder at Phases 4 and 6. This is the lowest figure since August 2021 and a 29% reduction since the end of June 2023.
The actions taken to achieve this include a targeted recruitment campaign for instructors and administrative support staff, a third intake of apprentices across all 16 ETBs, and temporary emergency provision by other partners such as higher education institutions and employers.
It is important to state while there have been some delays, the majority of apprenticeships are completed within the four year period. The only programme taking significantly longer is pipefitting.
It is a priority for me that progress is sustained in 2024 on the basis of the substantial funding of €67 million for apprenticeship secured in Budget 2024.
This will enable growth in the craft system from 13,000 places in 2022 to over 16,000 places in 2024 - an increase approaching 25%.
I look forward to continued progress in achieving further reductions in training delays on the basis of the work led by the National Apprenticeship Office, working with Education and Training Boards and staff representatives.
87. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the timeframe for the development of Cavan Institute as a hub for further education and training. [1936/24]
View answerI thank the Deputy for her question.
At this stage of the project lifecycle it is not possible to give a timeframe for the development of a College of the Future for Cavan Institute.
Completed preliminary business cases including that of Cavan Monaghan ETB were submitted to SOLAS by the deadline of last Friday, the 12th of January.
The next stage of the process is for these business cases to be evaluated under criteria such as value for money, affordability and strategic policy and priority alignment. Cavan Monaghan ETB will be informed of the outcome of this evaluation process once it is completed.
The Deputy will know when I visited Cavan Institute, I made it clear this would take some time to achieve but when completed, this will be a significant boost for Cavan and the region.
It will consolidate existing rented accommodation and will accommodate 1,000 students in order to future-proof the provision of accommodation for Cavan Institute for the next 50+ years.
The new college campus will be complementary to and work in collaboration with the existing FET provision in Cavan Town, to further strengthen the provision of FET programmes at Levels 5 and 6, as well as delivering on apprenticeships.
Other exciting initiatives included in the proposal are higher education programmes in partnership with higher education institutes and part-time programmes.
This will be transformational for Cavan and I look forward to working with Deputy Smyth and Deputies from across the House to deliver this important project.
88. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on the development of new campus facilities for the Technological University of the Shannon at Coonagh, Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1992/24]
View answerI’m very pleased to advise the Deputy, that substantial completion of the project at Coonagh will be substantially completed in February 2024, with students due on campus later this year. This represents over €24m in capital funding from my Department.
The Technological University of the Shannon Coonagh, Limerick project was approved for the fit-out of an existing building in Coonagh, Limerick, initially developed for use as a shopping centre, but now being repurposed by TUS for education use. This will facilitate the move of TUS’s Limerick engineering facilities to the new campus. When complete the Coonagh campus will facilitate an expansion of engineering education and research, with an emphasis on increasing apprenticeship provision.
The new engineering campus will facilitate significant growth in student numbers in engineering disciplines. This will create a centre for manufacturing engineering and other engineering activities in the region. It will also improve TUS’s teaching, learning and social learning spaces and allow for new engineering related programmes, particularly the growing apprentice areas.
The development of the engineering campus in Coonagh also frees up space at the Moylish campus to facilitate the development of a new Applied Science and IT building currently under tender as part of the Higher Education PPP Programme Bundle 2.
89. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the apprenticeship programmes operating in Meath; the number of those on waiting lists in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; the number that have experienced delays in arranging training in education centres; to provide an update on those apprenticeships associated with the green transition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2019/24]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his question.
It is not possible to provide figures on participation in apprenticeship training on a county-by-county basis. However, the following apprenticeship programmes are available through Louth & Meath Education and Training Board: Hairdressing, Network Engineer, ICT Software Development, Plumbing, Carpentry and Joinery, Pipefitting, Electrical, Toolmaking, Motor Mechanics, Metal Fabrication, and Wood Manufacturing & Finishing.
On account of the strong growth in apprenticeship demand relative to system capacity, of the total LMETB apprentice population of 1,524 in 2020, 607 were on waiting lists. The figures in 2021 were a population of 1,921 and 696 waiting. There was a population of 2,090 in 2022, with 664 waiting. Last year, the population was 2,339 with 680 waiting. These delays were encountered in particular on the electrical, plumbing, carpentry & joinery, metal fabrication and mechanical automotive maintenance fitter programmes.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that due to a series of significant actions to increase apprenticeship capacity, substantial progress is already being made on reducing the delays in apprenticeship training.
Indeed, from the national waiting list of craft apprentices, I can confirm that a total of 876 have been scheduled or started their Phase 2 training through LMETB from 1st January 2024. Of these, 80 apprentices have been scheduled to undertake their training at Dundalk IT as part of the emergency response to backlogs in 2024.
It is a priority for the Department that such progress will continue throughout 2024.
Regarding apprenticeships associated with the green transition, NZEB training is embedded in the Carpentry & Joinery curriculum, and NZEB awareness will be addressed in the Brick & Stone, Plastering, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Pipefitting, and potentially the Sheet Metal, programmes when they undergo a revalidation process.
The revised electrical curriculum incorporates modules on alternative electrical energy sources covering solar PV generation, wind generation, energy storage technologies and EV charging.
The revised plumbing curriculum incorporates renewable and sustainable energy, which covers water conservation systems, solar heating technology, heat pump technology and biomass technology and installation.
The Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician apprenticeship has 28 apprentices registered to date. The National Apprenticeship Office has also recently received three initial green-skills related apprenticeship proposals. These will be considered through the standard appraisal process.
90. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the proposals if any there are to increase capacity and availability of courses in digital forensics, in view of the threats to society posed by the proliferation of misinformation through social media platforms and the need to tackle such abuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2089/24]
View answerAt present there are 13 courses across the HE system which include digital forensics as a key focus, with an average of c. 300 graduates in the discipline per annum. While I have not received any proposals in relation to increasing provision in Digital Forensics specifically, my Department is committed to engaging with all Departments and industry representative bodies to support them in their workforce planning needs.
Ireland’s whole-of-Government approach to our digital agenda, including at EU and international level, ensures coherent and impactful delivery. The Cabinet Committee on the Economy and Investment drives the implementation of Harnessing Digital, supported by a Senior Officials Group on Digital Issues, and other sub-groups. Ongoing engagement with stakeholders plays a central part, including regular industry engagement via the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum, as well as with regulators through the Digital Regulators Group. My Department engages closely in this work.
Ireland takes its role in enforcing digital regulation seriously, and through Harnessing Digital the Government is re-enforcing Ireland’s commitment to a cohesive, well-resourced regulatory framework so as to effectively oversee and enforce regulations. This includes our commitment to ensuring the provision of necessary resources and legislation, as, for example, with the Digital Services Act. Through the DSA and Harnessing Digital my Department supports the work of An Coimisiún na Meán in enforcing the rules set in the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill on misinformation.
As such, combatting the proliferation of misinformation is a key focus on a whole of government basis in 2024. For my Department, this includes funding research into the best ways of combatting misinformation and disinformation.
91. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if 2024 will see increased funding for community training centres in Dublin's north inner city, Dublin 1 and Dublin 3. [1920/24]
View answerCommunity Training Centres (CTCs) are non-profit making companies with governing boards that are broadly representative of the community. Since 1977, CTCs have been involved in innovative training for marginalised groups and since the introduction of the Youthreach programme in 1989, their focus has been on Early School Leavers.
There are currently two CTCs operating in the area mentioned by the Deputy, which receive funding from City of Dublin Education and Training Board. These are the Lourdes Youth and Community Services (LYCS) CTC and the St. Vincent’s CTC. While both Centres each have capacity for 40 learners, there are currently 28 learners enrolled in LYCS CTC and 33 learners enrolled in St. Vincent’s CTC. The Lourdes CTC has recently relocated to the Metropolitan Building on James Joyce Street.
City of Dublin ETB also offers the Youthreach Programme in 2 Youthreach Centres operated by the ETB and located in North Great George’s Street and in Parnell Square. The capacity of these two Youthreach Centres is 126 and the enrolment in late 2023 was 113. Having regard to the excess capacity in the two CTCs involved and the wider Youthreach provision in the area, City of Dublin ETB has no plans to expand the available provision beyond the current capacity at the present time. The funding for the two CTCs in 2024 will be dictated by learner numbers in each centre, as per previous years funding allocation.
Regarding the north inner city more broadly, my Department is represented on the North East Inner City (NEIC) Taskforce. The Government has also approved a masterplan for the National Centre for Research and Remembrance on Sean McDermott Street. This includes museum and archival space and also social housing, further and higher education and facilities for community-based family and parenting supports.
92. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether consideration has been given to a purpose built apprenticeship centre on the northside of Cork city. [2023/24]
View answerI?have not been made aware of any plans to develop a new campus on the north side of Cork city. However, my Department works collaboratively with all Higher Education Institutions and Education and Training Boards on the?development?of capital projects in line with their?established masterplans.
Off-the-job training for apprenticeship is delivered in a number of different ways according to each programme. This is particularly a feature of the 25 craft programmes, and includes periods in training centres operated by ETBs. All of the ETBs have a strong tradition of delivering this form of training.
In planning their provision all ETBs work with partners, such as regional employers, to meet apprenticeship training needs. In decision making, ETBs consider the demand for apprentices, the ability to recruit instructors and the benefits of providing training at scale in larger centres where significant infrastructure and equipment is available. If an ETB believes that there is a need for facilities in any location they must analyse this and see how it aligns with regional and national need, in consultation with other ETBs and SOLAS.
My Department is currently supporting a number of major capital projects in Cork city, including a new Learning Resource Centre on the MTU Cork Campus, which is part of the Higher Education Public Private Partnership Programme, as well as two major MTU upgrade projects including on the 1974 Building. It is also supporting investments in UCC under HESIF II.
Additionally, Cork ETB has recently submitted a Preliminary Business Case for its Bishopstown campus to develop a FET College of the future. This would act as a focal point for all FET services in Cork incorporating a new Digital FET Centre.
93. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline his Department's planned allocations to capital developments at South East Technological University over the next 12 months and beyond (details supplied). [46934/23]
View answerMy Department and the Higher Education Authority are currently engaging with SETU to advance a number of capital projects across the SETU campuses. A new Engineering, Computing and General Teaching building planned for SETU Waterford and a Science and Health Building at SETU Carlow are being progressed within the parameters of bundle II of the Higher Education PPP Programme. SETU has also received approval in principle for a project under the Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation Pathfinder Programme.
On the 20 November 2023 SETU signed final contracts to purchase 20.3 acres of the Waterford Crystal site . With the assistance of the HEA, SETU will now proceed to develop a Business Case for the development of the proposed site under our Technological Sector Strategic Projects Fund.
It is proposed that the first phase of the development of this site would provide for further teaching space and research facilities to enhance research and innovation activity.
I confirmed on 9 November 2023 that the acquisition of the Wexford Town site had progressed significantly with Wexford County Council having moved to the final stages of the CPO process with the “Notice to Treat” being served. The issuing of this notice is a significant milestone as it places obligations on both the Local Authority and the land owner.
Wexford County Council are now working with SETU to develop a masterplan for the entire site, part of which will facilitate a new higher education campus for Wexford. In parallel to this, SETU is engaging with the Higher Education Authority to develop a Business Case for the development of the site under the Technological Sector Strategic Projects Fund.
These developments reflect my long term commitment to meeting the capital needs of SETU, in line with Public Infrastructure Guidelines and the National Development Plan
94. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is satisfied that the increase in medical places in Irish HEIs will address the shortfall of general practitioners in rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2041/24]
View answerThe Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, including the limited access to GP services in certain areas, and is working to ensure that general practice is sustainable in all areas into the future.
GPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients and the State does not regulate the number of GPs that can set up in a town or community.
I have increased the number of places across our medical schools, following an agreement reached with the medical schools in July 2022. This will see a further 200 medical places added to our Higher Education system by 2026. Students themselves will continue to determine what area of practice they wish to enter into.
The HEA have also run an Expressions of Interest process to identify options for developing substantial capacity in a number of healthcare disciplines including medicine.
The diverse options identified include a proposal for a “Rural and Remote” medical programme in University of Galway with prolonged immersion in rural and remote general practice and placements in integrated care hubs.?
There is a substantial capital cost associated with the provision of any new schools. Given the nature of the discussions and the significant costs associated with expansion and the provision of any new schools, it will naturally take some time for these discussions to reach a conclusion, including in the context of an expected upcoming review of Departmental National Development Plan allocations.
I am continuing to work with the Ministers for Health and Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on the next steps.
95. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline his interactions with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in 2023 regarding the shortage of student accommodation. [1919/24]
View answerThe strategic alignment of policy between my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), is imperative in realising the commitments we have set out in Housing for All and in addressing supply of accommodation specifically to meet the needs of our higher education students and mitigate pressures on rental accommodation.
Engagement has been ongoing throughout 2023 between officials from both Departments and at Ministerial level on a range of measures that underpin this policy approach and on related housing matters. Indeed, Minister O’Brien will be present for the launch of the new Accommodation Policy tomorrow in DCU.
Minister O’Brien and I also brought a joint proposal to Government to develop design standards for new Purpose Built Student Accommodation.
DHLGH officials have worked to support my officials from the outset on this project and will be key members of the working group as the project progresses throughout 2024.
My officials continue to engage with DHLGH in relation to the refurbishment of vacant property, which forms an important strand of the student accommodation longer term policy. Local Authorities are currently gathering data on vacant properties in their functional areas. This data can be used to report on vacancy levels and to identify prospective properties for refurbishment.
My Department Officials participated on the DHLGH’s Cost Rental Viability Measure working group, which met monthly. This close engagement has assisted in alignment of approaches to development of state supported accommodation schemes.
My Department is actively engaged with DHLGH regarding the Rent a Room scheme income disregards for social housing tenants to enable them to participate in the scheme. My Department also meets regularly with the Residential Tenancies Board regarding rental protections and the provision of information and research to inform policy.
This engagement will continue with the aim of progressing policy priorities for the Department.
