Parliamentary questions

Student Accommodation

Gerald Nash

155. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the discussions that have taken place with the private purpose-built student accommodation providers in relation to providing flexible arrangements for the 2020-2021 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23068/20]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Gerald Nash

156. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated of cost of reducing apprentice fees by 20%, 50% and 100%, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23069/20]

Student Universal Support Ireland

Gerald Nash

157. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to decrease the qualifying criteria for the non-adjacent rate of the SUSI grant from 45 km to 24 km; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23070/20]

Student Universal Support Ireland

Gerald Nash

158. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated number of students that would be affected by changing the SUSI adjacency rates from 45km to 25km, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23071/20]

Further Education and Training Programmes

David Stanton

159. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of local training initiatives in operation in 2018, 2019 and 2020; the number of participants for each of these years in tabular form; his plans for the further development of the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23108/20]

Third Level Admissions

Holly Cairns

160. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his engagement with colleges and universities to enable the provision of additional places in high demand courses. [23149/20]

Third Level Fees

Holly Cairns

161. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the campaign by an organisation (details supplied) to reduce student contribution fees in 2020 by €500. [23150/20]

Student Grant Scheme

Holly Cairns

162. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on amending the student grant statutory instrument to enable students reclassify as their personal circumstances relevant to the classification change. [23151/20]

Social Media Monitoring

Holly Cairns

163. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department or bodies working on behalf of his Department are monitoring social media for those that criticise government policy. [23153/20]

Third Level Education

Denis Naughten

164. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the engagement he has had with not-for-profit education, information technology and credit organisations such as organisations (details supplied) on the roll out of laptops to third-level students prior to the announcing the €15 million for student devices with a view to maximising the number of devices to be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23187/20]

Third Level Fees

Rose Conway-Walsh

20. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on whether it is fair to expect students to pay the highest fees in the EU at a time when many students have lost work and many households have seen a drop in their income, particularly if courses are to be conducted partially or completely online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22244/20]

Higher Education Institutions

Holly Cairns

21. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on providing targeted funding for colleges and universities to establish hubs or micro-satellite campuses to enable rural students to complete courses online; and if he will provide further funding for students to access existing rural digital hubs. [22805/20]

Third Level Admissions

Rose Conway-Walsh

22. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on whether it is fair to expect students to pay the highest fees in the European Union at a time when many students have lost work and many households have seen a drop in their income, particularly if courses are to be conducted partially or completely online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22596/20]

Third Level Costs

Mattie McGrath

23. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason full fees are applicable for students in third level institutes when full services are not available to the students, for example, access to libraries and printing facilities; the supports available to students who struggle with online learning due to limited broadband facilities; if he will work with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to introduce protections for students in student accommodation in terms of deposits and refunds in view of the difficulties encountered by many as a result of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22958/20]

Mental Health Services

Thomas Pringle

24. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding which will be made available to each of the third level colleges and institutions to address potential mental health issues that may have arisen in students from the Covid-19 situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22957/20]

Technological Universities

Verona Murphy

25. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the timeline for the amalgamation of Institute of Technology Carlow and Waterford Institute of Technology to form the Technological University for the South East Ireland. [22600/20]

Mental Health Services

Brendan Smith

26. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to provide additional mental health supports to students returning to higher and further education. [22632/20]

Student Support Schemes

James O'Connor

27. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the dilemma for candidates applying to the SUSI system for doctoral funding as an independent candidate who cannot claim to have been living independently from the previous October due to circumstances in relation to Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22639/20]

Student Support Schemes

Marian Harkin

28. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the supports being put in place to support third level students returning to education to ensure their health and well-being during these challenging times. [22644/20]

Third Level Fees

Richard Boyd Barrett

29. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to abolish third level registration fees in view of the fact that many students will not be attending lectures as normal, will have extra IT costs due to online learning and will find it more difficult to find work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22648/20]

Third Level Education

Thomas Gould

30. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to incentivise young persons typically excluded from higher education due to socioeconomic status to engage in education past school in view of the high youth unemployment rates. [22606/20]

Technological Universities

Verona Murphy

31. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the progress of the Connacht and Ulster alliance of Sligo Institute of Technology, Galway and Mayo Institute of Technology and Letterkenny Institute of Technology on forming a technical university. [22602/20]

Further and Higher Education

Bernard Durkan

32. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of the number of suitably qualified science and technical graduates to meet the continued requirements of the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22626/20]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Éamon Ó Cuív

33. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the arrangements that have been made for the college sections of apprenticeship programmes due to the effect of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22383/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Niamh Smyth

34. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when laptops ordered to assist students with online and blended learning will be available to students in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22630/20]

Student Universal Support Ireland

Pa Daly

35. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider changing the criteria for calculating SUSI grant eligibility to include whether a parent is in receipt of the working family payment. [22386/20]

Third Level Examinations

Catherine Connolly

36. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the engagement he has had with the president of NUI Galway on waiving the €295 repeat exam fee in view of the difficulties faced by students as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22641/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Éamon Ó Cuív

37. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the additional funding provided to third-level sector in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; the number of additional places made available by the third-level institutions for the 2020/2021 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22382/20]

Oireachtas Joint Committee Recommendations

James Lawless

38. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the recommendations of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Business, Enterprise and Innovation report entitled, The Case for Irish Membership of CERN, will be implemented. [22635/20]

Third Level Institutions

Marian Harkin

39. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the response that has been put in place to deal with the issue of sexual harassment and gender-based violence on third-level campuses in view of a recent survey carried out by the Active Consent Programme in NUI Galway in collaboration with a union (details supplied) highlighting the issue. [22645/20]

Third Level Fees

Paul Murphy

40. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way in which the continuation of the full €3,000 student contribution fees can be justified in the context of the Covid-19 crisis, the loss of income for many students and their families and in view of the fact that much third-level education will be provided virtually. [22512/20]

Student Universal Support Ireland

Rose Conway-Walsh

41. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on whether the current thresholds for SUSI grant eligibility are set at an appropriate level to provide real equality of access to third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22245/20]

Third Level Fees

Catherine Connolly

42. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if asylum seekers will be exempted from non-EU and EEA university fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22642/20]

Third Level Fees

Paul Murphy

43. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the abolition of the €3,000 student contribution fees to enable genuinely free education. [22513/20]

Institutes of Technology

Joe Flaherty

44. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the timeline for the completion of the recently approved STEM building for Athlone IT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22631/20]

Institutes of Technology

Matt Shanahan

45. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans or funding to support for ongoing education at Waterford Institute of Technology in view of the decision by the college to provide nearly all learning remotely due to the inability in capital facilities to provide social distancing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22599/20]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Thomas Gould

46. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to reform the apprenticeship system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22605/20]

Technological Universities

Marian Harkin

47. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the Connacht, Ulster Alliance Technological University application. [22643/20]

Research and Development

Denis Naughten

48. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps he plans to take to improve the interface between the wider research community and the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22385/20]

Third Level Fees

Verona Murphy

49. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if student college contributions will be reduced for the 2020/2021 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22603/20]

Research and Development

James Lawless

50. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to support the development of new career pathways for early-career researchers. [22634/20]

Third Level Admissions

Rose Conway-Walsh

51. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way in which the Central Applications Office, CAO, will ensure that students who sat the leaving certificate in 2019 are not disadvantaged by the model used to produce predicted grades; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22597/20]

Technological Universities

Marian Harkin

52. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of all current technological university applications. [22656/20]

Third Level Institutions

Verona Murphy

53. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a research project has been commissioned on sexual harassment in third-level institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22604/20]

Further and Higher Education

Matt Shanahan

54. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the funding requirement for a new X-ray machine for the Waterford Institute of Technology SEAM Technology gateway will be reviewed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22598/20]

Further and Higher Education

Michael Moynihan

55. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when laptops ordered to assist students with online and blended learning will be available to students of further education colleges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22629/20]

Civil Service

Denis Naughten

56. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will establish a science and technology policy fellowship within the Civil Service to provide opportunities to scientists and engineers to learn first-hand policymaking and contribute their knowledge and analytical skills in policy development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22384/20]

Student Support Schemes

Pádraig O'Sullivan

57. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when laptops ordered to assist students with online and blended learning will be available to UCC students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22627/20]

Technological Universities

Verona Murphy

58. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of a new Wexford campus as part of the Technological University for the South-East Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22601/20]

Student Universal Support Ireland

Martin Browne

59. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the anxiety the delay in the issuing of SUSI is causing to students approved for the 2020/2021 academic year; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some students starting college on 14 September 2020 must wait until 9 October 2020 for their first payment and until the end of October 2020 for their second payment; if his attention has been further drawn to the need for students some of whom are lone parents to secure the grant as quickly as possible due to the outlay they are subject to at the beginning of each academic year; if he will request the prompt payment of the grant to these students ahead of the dates as mentioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22658/20]