Parliamentary questions

Public Sector Pay

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

278. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 1695 of 9 April 2024, to report on the progress made with respect to outstanding backdated payments under the section 39 WRC pay agreement; when he expects that any payments still outstanding will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22246/24]

Departmental Contracts

Peadar Tóibín

144. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of publicly funded contracts awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the past ten years; the cost of each contract; and the purpose for which each contract was awarded. [18662/24]

Information and Communications Technology

Louise O'Reilly

145. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the capital investment in computer and data infrastructure, by investment, in each of the years since 2011, in tabular form. [21991/24]

Educational Disadvantage

Paul Kehoe

146. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if any efforts are being made to accelerate the approval process for Reach funding to enable applicants to plan community education programmes in advance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22030/24]

Further and Higher Education

John Brady

318. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what funding and supports are available to students studying psychotherapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20946/24]

Further and Higher Education

Mark Ward

319. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the widow's pension is classified as reckonable income when applying for the SUSI grant, as according to SUSI, the widow's grant is not reckonable income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20994/24]

Further and Higher Education

Carol Nolan

320. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for details of the number of students in higher education who are living with sight loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21078/24]

Energy Conservation

Darren O'Rourke

646. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the 2023 and 2024 budget allocation for near zero energy building training centres of excellence; and the amount of that budget that has been spent. [20162/24]

Further and Higher Education

Darren O'Rourke

647. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has received the 2023 Annual Report and 2023 Audited Financial Statement from SOLAS; and if not, when his Department expects to receive same. [20163/24]

Education and Training Boards

Seán Canney

648. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an indication of the composition of the operational guidelines working group operating under the auspices of Education and Training Boards Ireland; if there is sectorial input from staff currently working within ETB Youthreach designated centres and community training centres that provide the Youthreach programme; how the input data are being gathered; if those data are being gathered through the extended Education and Training Boards Ireland-issued follow-up sectoral response survey last month to the 16 ETBs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20197/24]

Public Sector Pay

Alan Kelly

649. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason the pay increase of 2.25% backdated to 1 January 2024 was not paid to employees of University College Cork in the end of April payroll, despite the assurance that he gave in Parliamentary Question No. 265 of 11 April 2024 that his officials had instructed HEIs on 4 April 2024 to apply the revised rates of salary and allowances. [20221/24]

Departmental Staff

Carol Nolan

650. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of employees within his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department who are currently suspended on full pay pending disciplinary investigations; to outline, in tabular form, the length of time these employees have been under suspension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20316/24]

European Union

Matt Carthy

651. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the EU programmes or funds outside of the multiannual financial framework that Ireland has paid into from the year 2014 to date; any receipts from same, by programme or fund, by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20357/24]

Departmental Inquiries

Louise O'Reilly

652. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when he was first made aware that Ireland's national supercomputer, Kay, was due to reach its effective end of life in November 2023; why the State is now without a national supercomputer; and when a new national supercomputer will be in place and ready to use. [20603/24]

Departmental Inquiries

Louise O'Reilly

653. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the impact of the lack of a national supercomputer and how this impacts the State's ability to attract the next-generation knowledge-intensive FDI. [20604/24]

Departmental Inquiries

Louise O'Reilly

654. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has concerns that the lack of a national supercomputer, which means Government Departments, State agencies, industry and academia instead have to use Luxembourg's supercomputer, will create delays and backlogs, and instead make organisations dependent on using private big tech, or else miss out on the latest wave of innovation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20605/24]

Departmental Meetings

Paul Donnelly

655. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has visited DCU since his appointment as Minister. [20637/24]

Departmental Policies

Bernard Durkan

656. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if changes can be made to ensure that eligibility for a higher education grant is not based on parental income, with particular reference to students who were working but decided to return to education as mature students given that many students in these circumstances cannot afford to live independently but appear to be refused access to higher education funding due to their living with their parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20696/24]

Departmental Data

Róisín Shortall

657. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of places in each postgraduate public health nursing course, in each of the years since 2019, in tabular form; the number of applicants; the number of admissions; and the number of graduates. [20704/24]

Departmental Programmes

Paul Kehoe

658. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to confirm the total number of Youthreach centres that have work experience/placements as a component part of their programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20752/24]

Departmental Legal Services

Paul Kehoe

659. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the legal requirement for centres for education in relation to Garda vetting of workplaces where Youthreach students are placed for work experience, and adherence to the child first legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20753/24]

Departmental Programmes

Marian Harkin

660. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how Youthreach providers can offer summer programmes, with opportunities for extracurricular activities when there is a staff reduction (outside of the 166 days when teaching staff depart at the start of June annually) – in some centres the minimum figure of Resource Person : Teacher Grade is 49% nationally rising upwards to almost 90% in some individual centres. [20754/24]

Departmental Programmes

Marian Harkin

661. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the value of summer programmes has been identified in inspection reports of Youthreach undertaken by the Inspectorate in the Department of Education; and if his Department has also noted the potential health and safety issues that arise with a reduced staff providing this programme. [20755/24]

Research and Development

Mairéad Farrell

662. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline the criteria or considerations that the Government evaluates when deciding on membership in European Research Infrastructure Consortia, such as EATRIS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20757/24]

Research and Development

Mairéad Farrell

663. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will set up an interdepartmental working group to consider the benefits of Ireland joining EATRIS, the ERIC for translational research, given that research falls under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20758/24]

Dental Services

Brendan Howlin

318. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to the proposed expansion in the number of dentists to be trained in Ireland, if he will set out the optimum number he believes should be catered for annually in third level colleges in Ireland; his plans to expand the number of dentistry places available at University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin; the plans he has to provide a new dental school and hospital at UCC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19910/24]

Third Level Education

Réada Cronin

319. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department will financially assist each Erasmus student to travel to their mainland European destination university by ferry and train (as opposed to by air which is often cheaper and incentivised); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19938/24]

Third Level Education

Ruairí Ó Murchú

320. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the numbers of students expelled from courses at each technological university and institute of technology from 2020 to date; the reasons for the expulsions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19945/24]

Further and Higher Education

Mairéad Farrell

321. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for the full list of colleges of further education and training which providing off-the-job training for craft apprentices, excluding the Education and Training Boards and Technological Universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19957/24]

Further and Higher Education

Réada Cronin

322. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19990/24]

Cybersecurity Policy

Louise O'Reilly

327. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of a training programme (details supplied); and if he will meet with the organisation regarding expansion of cyber security programmes in the further education sector. [19560/24]

Cybersecurity Policy

Louise O'Reilly

328. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of a training programme (details supplied); and if he will meet with the organisation regarding cyber security for SMEs. [19561/24]

Further and Higher Education

Mairéad Farrell

329. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if, in relation to a matter (details supplied), he will identify the income that University of Limerick receives per annum from its commercial owned company in the years 2021, 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19685/24]

Third Level Fees

Paul McAuliffe

330. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a review of the college fees for a person (details supplied). [19839/24]

Education and Training Boards

Imelda Munster

331. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of apprenticeships (that is, the number of individual apprenticeships that are available, not a list of the different types of apprenticeships) in each of the ETBs in the State. [19891/24]

Third Level Fees

Paul Murphy

751. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to the announcement in Budget 2024 that SUSI would pay fees of part-time students (details supplied) for the academic year 2024-2025, when he will provide guidelines to SUSI in order that this process can commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18752/24]

Further and Higher Education

Denis Naughten

752. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 493 of 7 and 208 of 23 March 2023, the current stage the process is at; the timeline for when it is proposed this matter will be concluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18806/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Denis Naughten

753. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total number of copper communication lines within his Department that are currently in active operation and for which his Department is paying for on a monthly basis, inclusive of ISDN, PTSN and copper-based lease lines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18838/24]

Third Level Staff

Catherine Murphy

754. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of WTE staff employed by Kildare-Wicklow Education and Training Board for the teaching of the English language to persons with little or no speaking English in 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [18913/24]

Ukraine War

Robert Troy

755. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the supports in place to assist Ukrainian refugees with the cost of third-level education (details supplied). [18975/24]

Third Level Examinations

Michael Ring

756. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of exams (details supplied) that have experienced computer glitches and therefore could not be completed by applicants in the past five years, in tabular form; what remedies have been taken to resolve these computer glitches; the steps that have been taken for the persons affected by these computer glitches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18977/24]

Information and Communications Technology

Louise O'Reilly

757. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of Ireland’s national supercomputer; the length of time remaining on its lifespan or if it has been decommissioned; when a new supercomputer will be available to academia, industry, and Government Departments and agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19088/24]

Information and Communications Technology

Louise O'Reilly

758. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has approached the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment regarding co-funding for procuring Ireland’s new national supercomputer; if not, the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19089/24]

Information and Communications Technology

Louise O'Reilly

759. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how powerful Ireland’s current national supercomputer is; how powerful the new national supercomputer will be; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19090/24]

Information and Communications Technology

Louise O'Reilly

760. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has considered making the Irish centre for high end-computing a standalone State agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19091/24]

Visa Applications

Matt Carthy

761. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of an issue impacting upon non-EU citizens teaching and studying in Irish institutes of further and higher education whereby they are unable to secure appointments to apply for Schengen area visas; if he has engaged with his EU counterparts on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19125/24]

European Union

John Paul Phelan

762. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to list all Acts and Statutory Instruments sponsored by his Department which became law from 20 February 2020 to date in 2024 and which were necessitated, either in whole or in part, to transpose or give effect to regulations, directives or other measures passed at European Union level. [19167/24]

Departmental Funding

Louise O'Reilly

763. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the work of the UCD Professional Academy; what routes to public funding are available for the academy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19314/24]

Local Authorities

Catherine Murphy

764. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide the amount of grant-aid returned and or surrendered to his Department, by local authority in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, to include the heading of which it was intended for. [19362/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Cian O'Callaghan

765. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of people who begin apprenticeships in the construction trades but drop out before completion, broken down by apprenticeship type, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19434/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

766. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science where applications in relation to the use of the dormant funds accounts to support those young care leavers seeking student accommodation can be made; the guidelines for applying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19465/24]

Departmental Staff

Cian O'Callaghan

767. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will look into a situation where a person is waiting on wages (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19485/24]

Further and Higher Education

Mark Ward

768. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a person who was studying medicine at a university (details supplied) can continue their studies here in Ireland given the ongoing conflict in the region; how they can go about transferring their course to here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19519/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

351. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of electrical, plumbing and carpentry apprentices who completed their course in 2023, broken down by the year in which they first registered for their course, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18500/24]

Youth Work Supports

Marian Harkin

352. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on whether alignment of the Youthreach calendar year with the second level schools' calendar would be a cost-saving measure to public expenditure as well as a contribution to the educational delivery of the service, going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18531/24]

Youth Work Supports

Gino Kenny

353. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how the Youthreach programme functions above the 166 days for students, given the reduction in staff who are employed as pro-rata teachers/resource persons; the percentage breakdown, by centre to indicate the way staffing levels change during this time (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18532/24]

Youth Work Supports

Gino Kenny

354. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if principal officers and deputy principal officers who work within the Youthreach education service read the Youthreach Employee Wellbeing Report 2022: A review of employees’ experience of working in the Youthreach Sector, published in January 2023; if he has concerns which may have been raised by the Youthreach Employee Wellbeing Report 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18533/24]

Research and Development

Neasa Hourigan

355. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total expenditure in the form of grants or relief given to social enterprises for research and innovation in each of the years 2020 to 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18570/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

356. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 754 of 16 April 2024, the specific legislation that his officials and those from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are looking to amend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18575/24]

Student Accommodation

Michael Healy-Rae

193. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18181/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Imelda Munster

194. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a list of apprenticeships that are available in the Louth and Meath region; the number of apprenticeships available in counties Louth and Meath in each of the years 2022 to 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18138/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Imelda Munster

195. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a list of the number of apprenticeships available in each of the years 2022 to 2024, in tabular form. [18139/24]

Youth Work Supports

Matt Carthy

196. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he intends to align Youthreach centres for education with second level schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18301/24]

Youth Work Supports

Matt Carthy

197. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his response to the Youthreach Employee Wellbeing Report 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18302/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

198. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 581 of 7 February 2024, given that is has been three months, if he can please give an indication of when Solas will be in a position to provide a breakdown, by county, in tabular form, of the number of craft apprentices currently waiting for off the job training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18369/24]

Departmental Advertising

Ged Nash

199. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for figures on the total spend for all forms of advertising in the years 2022 and 2023 in his Department; if figures can be provided on each Department’s spend on local media advertising (print and broadcast respectively, and broken down on that basis) for those years; if the Department used/uses an agency to place advertising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18393/24]

Departmental Contracts

Carol Nolan

200. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has at any time engaged the services of a company (details supplied) or allocated the company funding or support in any capacity; if he or his officials have engaged with personnel from the company; if so, the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18445/24]

Period Poverty

Duncan Smith

694. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will increase the €200 thousand share of funding for Naughton + Smyth framework for the provision of period products to higher-education institutions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18090/24]

Third Level Education

Patrick Costello

695. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on Trinity College’s policy (details supplied) which prevents any external tour guides from using the campus and/or Book of Kells for guiding purposes. [17314/24]

Third Level Education

Patrick Costello

696. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on Trinity College’s policy (details supplied) which prevents any external tour guides from using the campus and/or Book of Kells for guiding purposes. [17315/24]

Third Level Education

Mairéad Farrell

697. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the international education mark will be rolled out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17391/24]

Third Level Education

Mairéad Farrell

698. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the additional resources that will be allocated to ensure that education providers are compliant with the international education mark. [17392/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Sorca Clarke

699. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his Department's capital underspend, if any, in 2023; and his Department's projected spend in 2024. [17422/24]

Research Funding

Ivana Bacik

700. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to allocate increased funding across all career stages for researchers; and his views on the importance of basic or frontier research and the need for parity of esteem across disciplines. [17530/24]

Grant Payments

Louise O'Reilly

701. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the SUSI grant will be rolled out for part-time courses from September 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17562/24]

Third Level Education

Louise O'Reilly

702. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the closure of a college (details supplied) and the impact it is having on students and their families; and if he will engage with students on the Bachelor of Education in Montessori (early years) Education course to find alternative options to complete their degrees. [17581/24]

Grant Payments

Patrick Costello

703. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the grants or scholarships available to Irish students studying for masters degrees in UK institutions. [17591/24]

Period Poverty

Francis Noel Duffy

704. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if, following the success of his pilot scheme of free period products in further education/training centres, his Department has engaged with the Minister for Health on the rollout of free period products in universities and the wider third level sector. [17628/24]

Research and Development

Brian Leddin

705. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to list the members of the Steering Group, Implementation Forum and Advisory Forum of Impact 2030: Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy; and whether minutes of the meeting of each body are published online. [17636/24]

Medical Research and Training

Mairéad Farrell

706. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans or actions he has taken to attain membership of the European Infrastructure for Translational Medicine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17664/24]

Third Level Education

Mark Ward

707. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what options are available to an Irish student (details supplied) whose studies were impacted by Covid lockdowns; what avenues are available to her to complete her course; if the Department will intervene on her behalf to allow her to continue her studies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17673/24]

Third Level Education

Mairéad Farrell

708. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a list of all universities identifying whether each has run a surplus or deficit for the financial year 2023, the value of this surplus or deficit and the change from the financial year 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17676/24]

Further and Higher Education

Peadar Tóibín

709. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the action he is taking to retain current and future personnel in the construction sector, and from being recruited internationally; the number of graduates and those employed in the construction sector who have emigrated in each of the past five years, by general trade and specialist category in the industry; the number of the same cohort who returned to Ireland in that time period, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17868/24]

Third Level Education

Neasa Hourigan

710. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on the work of his Department to secure places for students from this jurisdiction in medical schools in Northern Ireland; whether he has ensured that these students would then be eligible to apply to work in the HSE on graduation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17898/24]

Third Level Admissions

James Lawless

711. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to examine an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17944/24]

Education and Training Provision

John Brady

314. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of staff employed in the delivery of English language classes to IPAS and BOTPs in Ireland, by area, and on a monthly basis, for the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17107/24]

Education and Training Provision

John Brady

315. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of IPAS and BOTPs who are receiving English language classes, on an area-by-area and monthly basis, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17108/24]

Qualifications Recognition

Paul Kehoe

316. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the process by which a person can have their professional qualification (details supplied) recognised by the NFQ in line with recognition of similar awards from 17 September 2007 to 6 November 2012, which are recognised by HETAC as equivalent to an award at level 9 on the framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17151/24]

Grant Payments

Pauline Tully

317. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider changing the eligibility criteria for the student grant scheme to enable students whose family was granted legal residency in Ireland through the regularisation of long-term undocumented migrants scheme to apply using the total number of years they lived in Ireland, including when they were undocumented. [17239/24]

Departmental Reports

Thomas Pringle

171. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will extend the deadline for sectoral input responses to a report (details supplied), as the request to ETBI on 22 March, with a deadline of 25 March, is a timeline that appears wholly inadequate to facilitate valid sectoral feedback and input; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16764/24]

Departmental Reports

Jennifer Whitmore

172. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an update on the timeline for completion of a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16798/24]

Departmental Reviews

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

173. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the review of the status of PhD researchers, that is, their classification as either students or employees, will be published. [16843/24]

Period Poverty

Neasa Hourigan

174. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to ensure all third-level educational institutions provide free period products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16892/24]

Period Poverty

Patrick Costello

175. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ensure that higher education institutions are sufficiently resourced to be able to provide free on-campus sanitary products to their students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16948/24]

Further and Higher Education

John Brady

753. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what current English language support classes are in place for IPAs and BOTPs; how are they being delivered; the cost of same, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16180/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

754. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the crisis that has now arisen in Ireland's study abroad sector where visiting international students are not able to source accommodation as the investment fund-owned providers of purpose-built student accommodation has brought in 51-week leases, and the students' home universities are not in a position to pay the cost of the additional ten-to-12-week leases; if his Department has conducted any analysis of the impact these 51-week leases could have on the study abroad sector, which is worth €220 million per annum to the economy and employs 350 staff members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16040/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Rose Conway-Walsh

755. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total number of new registrations for apprenticeships, broken down by consortia and craft; the total number of consortia and craft apprentices currently registered; the number of apprentices currently waiting to access off-site training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16159/24]

Further and Higher Education

Kathleen Funchion

756. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a SUSI application by person (details enclosed) will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16236/24]

Student Unions

Bríd Smith

757. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware that a students’ union (details supplied) recently launched a petition calling for the Government to provide free period products in all higher education institutions, which has now almost 3,000 signatures; if he will commit to increasing funding in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16323/24]

Further and Higher Education

Niamh Smyth

758. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if funding is available for Irish citizens studying in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16330/24]