Written Answers Nos. 1549-1563
1549. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost to reduce the student contribution by €1,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12206/24]
View answerAs part of the policy response to the Funding the Future framework published in May 2022, I identified the need to address cost as a barrier to higher education. I also outlined my intention to pursue funding measures on these issues through the Estimates process, including in respect of reductions to the student contribution payable by free fees eligible undergraduate students.
From September 2023, for the current academic year, I introduced a permanent new rate of student contribution grant via SUSI of €500, for students whose families have incomes between €62,000 and €100,000. I also increased the income limit for students to avail of the 50% student contribution grant.
In Budget 2023 and Budget 2024, as part of one off funded cost of living measures, I was pleased to secure reductions of up to €1,000 in the student contribution payable by free fees eligible undergraduate students for academic years 2022/23 and 2023/24.
For 2023/2024, the estimated cost of the one off funded €1,000 reduction in the student contribution, reducing the contribution payable by free fees eligible students from €3,000 to €2,000, is circa €92 million. This is the estimated net cost to the State after adjusting for savings that would accrue on the Student Grant Scheme administered by SUSI. Student data is not yet available for the 2024/25 academic year however, the cost would be expected to be of a similar magnitude.
In advance of Budget 2025, I will be publishing the annual options paper which will set out various possible measures to address matters pertaining to the cost of education. I introduced the concept of an annual options paper in order to facilitate a public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. These options will be considered as part of the deliberations around Budget 2025.
1550. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of exit and or severance and or redundancy packages granted by his Department, and bodies under his aegis and of bodies he funds in full or in part, of €100,000 and above but less that €200,000, by the amount and by each body in each of the years 2019 to 2023 and to date in 2024. [12351/24]
View answerRedundancy or severance payments in the Civil Service generally arise with respect to specific categories of employees, as determined by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (DPENDR) and approved by Government.
My Department was established in August 2020. Accordingly, there are no arrangements of the kind referred to in the Deputy's question to report on prior to that time with regard to the staff of my Department. The total amount paid by my Department in this regard was €326,212.41. These amounts have been aggregated.
The information requested in relation to the agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each agency. The Department will request the relevant bodies to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested in respect of their organisation.
|
Year |
Number of Severance Payments |
Number of Redundancy Payments |
|
2020 |
0 |
0 |
|
2021 |
1 |
1 |
|
2022 |
0 |
0 |
|
2023 |
4 |
2 |
|
2024 |
0 |
0 |
1551. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the case of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed; if advice will be provided to their family on the way to access this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12364/24]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) scheme is operated by the Irish Universities Association, on behalf of the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Under HEAR each institution determines its own admissions policy, the number of places to be reserved, the allocation of those places, and the review and appeals processes. Applications to the scheme are submitted to the Central Applications Office (CAO) who coordinate the scheme for participating institutions.
To assist with your query, officials from my Department have contacted the IUA and they have confirmed the following:
• the scheme is open to all EU citizens who are resident in the Republic of Ireland
• a financial statement must be provided for the year 2022 if the student is applying for college entry in 2024.
The translation of financial statements would be required when submitting an application. Details of eligibility criteria can be found at www.accesscollege.ie
Each HEI has an Access Office who will be in a position to provide more details about their courses. If contact details are required for a particular HEI officials from my Department can be contacted at access@dfheris.gov.ie to provide the details.
I trust that this will be of assistance to you.
1552. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 641 of 27 February 2024 (details supplied), if there is an estimated timeframe the Minster envisions for this scheme to be rolled out. [12443/24]
View answerAs previously advised, the specifics of this scheme are currently under development by my Department in consultation with the Higher Education Authority. Once finalised my Department will publish details of the scheme. It is envisaged that the scheme will be available for the 2024/2025 academic year, in line with the allocation of Dormant Accounts Funding.
1553. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on efforts to establish a fees scheme for students resident in the State studying medicine in universities in the North; if this will include graduate entry programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12474/24]
View answerAlong with Minister Donnelly, on 29 February 2024, I announced that an agreement had been reached with Queen’s University Belfast for the funding of twenty five (25) additional medical places for qualifying students from Ireland or Northern Ireland in Queen’s from September 2024.
A further twenty-five places will be made available in September 2025 bringing the total number of additional places available to 50. These places will be co-funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of Health.
Students who take up these places will pay the same student contribution rate as their counterparts studying in medical schools in Ireland and will commit to applying and accepting, if offered, a position in the HSE as an intern at the end of their studies.
The places in Queen’s are on the undergraduate medical programme. There is no agreement in place to avail of places on a graduate entry programme in Northern Ireland.
1554. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the Minister of State within his Department visited University of Pittsburgh during his recent visit to the US for St, Patrick's Day events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12570/24]
View answerAs part of the Government's St Patrick's Day programme of visits I visited Cleveland, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 13th to 17th March.
A visit to the University of Pittsburgh did not form part of my official programme.
However, one of my accompanying officials met with representatives of the University of Pittsburgh at a community reception, and further engagement is planned in the next few weeks.
1555. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if funding will be made available to a college (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12708/24]
View answerThe Governing Authority of a University has responsibility under the Universities Act, 1997 for oversight of the governance and strategic direction of the university including the approval of expenditure for major capital and investment projects, and providing strategic direction and managing the financial affairs of the university to ensure value for money and its financial viability.
As an autonomous body, it is a matter for UCC to prioritize its capital projects accordingly. There have been two rounds of capital funding made available to Higher Level Institutions under the Higher Education Strategic Investment Fund (HESIF) in recent years. Each institute was permitted to submit one project per funding round under HESIF. UCC chose to lodge applications for the Business School and for an upgrade to the Kane Building, both of which have been successful and have received €50 million in direct exchequer funding from this Department.
In relation to the agreement between UCC and the EIB, Section 38 of the Universities Act, 1997 sets out the basis for borrowing and loan guarantees by universities. It provides for such borrowing in accordance with a framework agreed between the universities and the Higher Education Authority. The current borrowing framework provides for universities to engage in borrowing within agreed parameters including that such borrowings are in accordance with the objects and functions of the university and the university is able to meet the annual servicing costs without recourse to additional Exchequer funding. Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006, and the Technological Universities Act 2018 and are fully responsible for the repayment, including interest, of any borrowings undertaken. My Department was not involved in the agreement reached between UCC and the EIB.
The Dental Council is an independent statutory provider, which aims to promote high standards of professional education and conduct among dentists in Ireland. It sets its own requirements in relation to the accreditation of dental education and training provided in the State’s dental schools and to the standards required at examinations for primary qualifications, for dentists to be included on the Dental Register. The Dental Council liaises directly with relevant higher education institutions in relation to their programmes and accreditation.
The Higher Education Authority recently undertook an Expressions of Interest (EOI) process to identify options for developing substantial medium-term additional capacity in a range of priority healthcare disciplines including Dentistry.
In June 2023 the Minister for Health and I announced details of the potential options identified under this process. I continue to engage closely on this matter with Government colleagues to advance the process, with investment to be considered in the context of the ongoing review of Departmental National Development Plan allocations to 2030.
1556. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will publish a list of the NGOs funded by his Department; and the level the funding each NGO received in the past three years, in tabular form. [12721/24]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy, in relation to funded provided by the Department of Further and Higher Education; Research; Innovation and Science to NGO's in 2022, 2023 and 2024 is provided in the table below:
|
Name of NGO |
2022 € |
2023 € |
2024 (to date ) € |
Total € |
|
Accessing College Education Project (ACE) |
65,584.00 |
86,054.16 |
0 |
151,638.16 |
|
Asia-Europe Meeting |
150,000.00 |
75,000.00 |
0 |
225,000.00 |
|
Ballymun Initiative (BITE) |
64,700.00 |
75,254.16 |
0 |
139,954.16 |
|
Centre for Cross Border Studies |
240,000.00 |
240,000.00 |
45,000.00 |
525,000.00 |
|
Clondalkin Higher Education Access Project |
103,000.00 |
113,254.16 |
0 |
216,254.16 |
|
EMPOWER |
60,000.00 |
75,254.16 |
- |
135,254.16 |
|
Glór na nGael |
14,000.00 |
13,500.00 |
- |
27,500.00 |
|
Global Undergraduate Awards (GUA) |
- |
150,000.00 |
150,000.00 |
300,000.00 |
|
Institute of International and European Affairs |
10,000.00 |
10,000.00 |
10,000.00 |
30,000.00 |
|
Irish Traveller Movement |
- |
450,000.00 |
- |
450,000.00 |
|
Limerick Community Based Education Initiative Ltd. |
87,000.00 |
64,254.16 |
- |
151,254.16 |
|
National Women's Council of Ireland |
5,913.35 |
37,767.81 |
|
43,681.16 |
|
National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) |
100,000.00 |
- |
- |
100,000.00 |
|
Northside Partnership Limited |
18,961.00 |
35,254.16 |
- |
54,215.16 |
|
The Wheel |
1,140,000.00 |
1,140,000.00 |
212,750.00 |
2,492,750.00 |
|
Transparency International Ireland |
45,000.00 |
45,000.00 |
45,000.00 |
135,000.00 |
|
US/Ireland Alliance - George Mitchell Scholarship Fund |
528,810.08 |
459,094.67 |
- |
987,904.75 |
|
Washington Ireland Program |
106,000.00 |
106,000.00 |
90,000.00 |
302,000.00 |
|
Total |
2,738,968.43 |
3,175,687.44 |
552,750.00 |
6,467,405.87 |
1557. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of engagements, including online meetings, webinars, briefings and in-person meetings that he or officials from his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department have had with an organisation (details supplied) including its representatives from 1 January 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12741/24]
View answerMy officials and I have met with the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) periodically since the establishment of my Department in August 2020.
My Department has had meetings pertaining to the work of the Ending Sexual Harassment & Violence in Third Level Education (ESHTE) project. The ESTHE project aims to prevent and combat sexual harassment and violence in third-level institutes across Europe. I met with the NCWI on 12th April 2021. I also attended meetings of the National Advisory Committee on ending sexual violence and harassment in Irish HEIs, which is led by the NWCI, on 27th July 2020 and on 8th December 2021.
On 28th September 2021, the Women’s Economic Equality Coordinator at the NWCI presented to the National Skills Council. This was on the issue of Gender and Diversity in the Labour Market: Skills issues, impacts of COVID-19 and challenges around gender and diversity.
On April 26th this year I launched Towards a Zero Tolerance Approach – National Women’s Council Good Practice Guide. This guide aims to assist Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Ireland in implementing the Department’s Safe, Respectful, Supportive and Positive - Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment in Irish Higher Education Institutions Framework. This Good Practice Guide fully aligns with the actions in the ZERO TOLERANCE: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) Strategy. The NWCI is a member of the HEA ESVH Advisory Group, which has met 15 times to date. A staff member working in the Centre for Excellence in Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the HEA spoke at an NWCI event on the launch of their good practice guide on 26th April 2023.
The National Women’s Council (NWCI) was a member of the Science Foundation Ireland's Creating Our Future Advisory Forum. The Director of the NWCI was the organisation representative. The Forum met regularly between June 2021 and March 2022.
The work in which I and my officials engage in with the NWCI complements the work carried out by the staff of my Department and the work of the Higher Education Authority’s Centre for Excellence for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
The information sought by the Deputy with regard to the aegis bodies of my Department is not held by the Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out below, should the Deputy wish to contact the aegis bodies directly with her query.
|
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 Oireacthas |
Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members |
|
Higher Education Authority |
Oireachtas@hea.ie |
Padraic Mellett* |
|
Irish Research Council( Note 1) |
Oireachtas@research.ie |
Padraic Mellett* |
|
Grangegorman Development Agency |
Communications@ggda.ie |
nora.rahill@ggda.ie |
|
SOLAS |
oireachtasinfo@solas.ie |
Maria Walsh maria.walshe@solas.ie |
|
Skillnets Ltd |
oireachtas@skillnets.com |
t.donnery@skillnets.com |
|
Quality and Qualifications Ireland |
ceo@qqi.ie |
ceo@qqi.ie |
|
Léargas – The Exchange Bureau |
oireachtas@leargas.ie |
fbroughan@leargas.ie |
|
Science Foundation Ireland |
ciara.cotter@sfi.ie |
Ciara Cotter |
Note 1 – Regarding 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 Oireachtas@hea.ie and Oireachtas@research.ie respectively to contact Mr Mellett.
1558. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there is a shortage of training places in Dublin for those wishing to do apprenticeships, which is requiring people to train far away from home; and if he plans to roll out more facilities in Dublin to meet the need. [12918/24]
View answerApprentices are scheduled to the nearest available training location from their home base.
SOLAS continues to schedule apprentices to courses due to commence in 2024 and monitors the situation regarding capacity for apprenticeship programmes.
To ensure that the system has the capacity to meet the training needs of rapidly increasing numbers of apprentices, expansion of the apprenticeship system is continuing in 2024, with further investment in workshops and staff planned for this year.
There are a number of apprenticeship capital projects underway in the Dublin region as detailed below.
• 4 projects underway and due for delivery in 2024/2025
• 1 project delivered in 2024
• 3 equipment funding allocations associated with increased apprenticeship provision
1559. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the 2024/2025 SUSI application process will open. [12953/24]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that SUSI are currently accepting applications from renewal students in respect of the 2024/25 academic year and it is envisaged that SUSI will open for new applications on 04 April 2024.
1560. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the national student accommodation strategy will be published; its current status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12995/24]
View answerThe first National Student Accommodation Strategy was launched in July 2017. It runs until 2024, with a target of 21,000 additional PBSA beds to be delivered. Achievement of this target has been impacted by subsequent events including Brexit, Covid-19 and the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
As you are aware, I received Government approval for the long-term student accommodation policy and methodology in January. The aim of this policy is to increase the supply of student accommodation and to examine alternative solutions that will remove accommodation as a barrier to higher education. Through this policy;
• The Government will fund the delivery of purpose built student accommodation;
• A call for proposals for accommodation projects for Technological Universities will open;
• Vacant properties will be repurposed into housing for students, including properties on college owned lands;
• Standardised design will reduce the cost of construction and increase the pace of delivery;
• Improved public transport will be explored for students;
• Continued support of the rent-a-room scheme with local authority and medical card changes coming into effect.
This long-term policy will inform the future student accommodation strategy which will be developed and published in 2024.
1561. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will comment on his decision to provide zero capital funding for technological universities, preventing them from building and borrowing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12996/24]
View answerIt is a priority for my Department to support higher education institutions, in their critical role as drivers of social and economic development in their regions. Within this overall context, the creation of Technological Universities represents a radical reconfiguration of the higher education landscape, which will deliver significant benefits for regional development. This will be achieved through a strong focus on industry linkages, higher education access, and research-informed teaching and learning excellence.
Significant capital investment remains ongoing in respect of PPP projects at the Central and West Quads which were delivered for TU Dublin in Grangegorman in 2020/2021. In addition there are eleven projects being progressed through the higher education PPP programme. Bundle one consisting of six projects (five on TU campuses) and has commenced construction. There are five projects (all five are on TU campuses) in Bundle two which is at tender stage.
In addition to the PPP projects set out above, over the past two years alone, my Department has disbursed almost €140m in capital funding to the Technological University Sector under a number of capital programmes including the Higher Education Strategic and Infrastructural Fund (HESIF), the Infrastructure and Refurbishment Fund (IURF), the Energy Efficiency Decarbonisation Pathway Programme (EEDPP), the Devolved Capital Grant, the Apprenticeship Programme Grant, the Higher Education Research and Equipment Grant (HEREG) etc.
In February 2022, I also announced the Technological Sector Strategic Projects Fund (TSSPF) a key capital funding programme which will strengthen the technological sector by supporting additional capacity and delivering core infrastructure improvements including research and innovation activity. This important capital investment will also support an ambitious transformation agenda including the strengthening of progression pathways from further education, realising the full potential of digital technologies and ensuring that our TU campuses are flexible and future-proofed. To date, four projects have reached stage 2 under the Infrastructural Guidelines (IG) i.e. Pre-tender - Project Design.
A Feasibility Study Investment fund of €1m in 2023/2024 is also available to support the TU’s in conducting activation feasibility assessments to ascertain student accommodation needs in campus locations.
1562. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the situation that students often find themselves in when renting digs, such as curfews being imposed, no privacy and issues with accessing communal areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13002/24]
View answerThe provision of Digs accommodation is one of a number of accommodation options for the wider rental market and in particular third level students. It provides essential additional supply of affordable and flexible accommodation in key areas which suits the needs of many students.
The Government has increased the supports available to incentivise the rent a room scheme. An individual can rent a room/rooms in their home, retain their social welfare entitlements where applicable, and earn up to €14,000 in rental income before having to pay tax. The Government also approved an extension of the rent-a-room relief scheme to disregard income earned when determining medical card eligibility and when examining reckonable income for support under the SUSI grant scheme. In addition, the scheme has been extended to allow local authority tenants to participate on an administrative basis initially, targeting the provision of additional rooms for third level students.
In recognising the need for awareness in undertaking or accessing digs accommodation, I developed and published a Voluntary Regulatory Framework together with a sample license agreement to assist both homeowners and students who wish to participate in the Rent a Room scheme. The guidance aimed to highlight to homeowners and students the key issues to consider and what to expect when entering into a Rent a Room license agreement.
The guidance was published in advance of the 2023/24 academic year and followed a promotional media campaign which raised awareness of the scheme. It is important that both the homeowner and the student document the terms and conditions of the offer of accommodation in writing and that both parties sign the licence agreement. Both parties should retain a copy of the signed licence agreement which can then be referred to in the event of disagreement.
My Government colleagues and I will continue our work to increase awareness and availability of the scheme which is an important provider of flexible and affordable accommodation for students and the wider renter market.
1563. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if, with regard to the advanced healthcare assistant, QQI level 6 (details supplied), if any plans are being considered to have the same course rolled out across the TU campuses and covered by the SUSI system, considering the benefits to be gained from it by both healthcare providers and their employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13159/24]
View answerThe Advanced Healthcare Assistant Practitioner programme is a 2 year consortia-led apprenticeship at QQI Level 6, and was launched in May 2021.
It is a matter for Griffith College as the coordinating provider, in consultation with the consortium, to determine whether there is a need for additional training capacity. This is based on the demand from the healthcare sector.
The apprentice fee for the Advanced Healthcare Assistant Practitioner is €1,000 per year. A ‘unit cost model’ is operational for funding of apprenticeships in higher education. An apprenticeship consortium is required to submit funding proposals via the higher education coordinating provider which include details on the numbers of projected apprentice registrations. One of the unit costs include a ‘student contribution fee’, charged to individual apprentices. The student contribution fee must be agreed within the consortium and reflect the extent of direct learning contact between the apprentice and the education provider.
The State provides financial supports for apprentices and employers who hire apprentices. The Access to Apprenticeship Initiative supports the transition of young people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds into an apprenticeship scheme. Eligible participants can access a €3,000 grant to support living costs including travel, accommodation and materials. In addition, a grant of €2,000 euro is provided to employers who take on apprentices under the Apprenticeship Employer Grant. Employers who qualify can also apply for the Gender-Based Bursary.
Under the Student Grant Scheme there is no funding available for apprentices as they are not considered to be attending an approved full-time course in an approved institution.
