Parliamentary questions

An Teanga Gaeilge

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

640. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Breisoideachais agus Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta an ndéanfaidh sé cur síos ar na hathruithe reachtúla atá tarlaithe maidir le stádas na Gaeilge nó riachtanais a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe ó bunaíodh an Stát, agus cén cur chuige atá ag an Roinn maidir le ról na hOllscoile i gcur chun cinn na Gaeilge ag an ardleibhéal faoi láthair. [9050/24]

Third Level Education

Peadar Tóibín

641. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the details of the newly released scheme to support children leaving State care with free accommodation when going into third level education; the procedure for applying; and the rules of the scheme. [9069/24]

Further and Higher Education

Bernard Durkan

642. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which efforts continue to be made to ensure the availability of adequate qualified staffing levels to meet the requirements of the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5676/24]

Third Level Costs

Mairéad Farrell

643. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what financial supports are available for undergraduate students who study in Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9235/24]

Third Level Education

Alan Kelly

644. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost of increasing the number of undergraduate new entrants in pharmacy by 20%, broken down by the number of additional new entrants a 20% increase would achieve. [9258/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Ivana Bacik

645. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the employer-led national apprenticeship programme in respect of the local government sector. [9316/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

646. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current rates of pay for all craft apprentices, by the different phases; the dates on which the rates were last increased, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9332/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

647. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the pay scales for craft apprentice education tutors under the current Public Service Pay Agreement; the pay scales under the previous agreement, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9333/24]

Further and Higher Education

Bernard Durkan

648. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is satisfied the number of places for students wishing to pursue courses of an academic or technical nature is adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9354/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Bernard Durkan

649. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which he expects the number of training/apprenticeship places to be sufficient to meet the demand in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9355/24]

Research Funding

Bernard Durkan

650. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which his Department is upgrading the research sector with a view to maximisation of benefit for Irish students and ultimately the economy in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9356/24]

Further and Higher Education

Bernard Durkan

651. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which he expects the level of Irish technical and academic graduates to be sufficient to meet any demand arising from accelerated economic growth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9357/24]

Further and Higher Education

Bernard Durkan

652. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the degree to which he foresees the use of innovation as a means of perfecting this country’s education system as well as meeting the market-based challenges in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9358/24]

Research Funding

Bernard Durkan

653. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which he expects the sciences to play a major part in meeting the standards required in the workplace in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9359/24]

Further and Higher Education

Bernard Durkan

654. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which his Department has planned for the likely increased demand in fourth level education in the future, with particular reference to the need to stay the pace with or at least on par with international trends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9360/24]

Further and Higher Education

Bernard Durkan

655. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the expected number of fourth level graduates in both technical and academic sectors in the future in terms of the demand and the ability to meet that demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9361/24]

Research Funding

Bernard Durkan

656. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which he sees research playing a major role in competitiveness in the future; the likelihood of meeting the demand in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9362/24]

Research Funding

Bernard Durkan

657. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to set out the future ambitions of his Department in expanding the role of the sciences in the future; in particular the ability to meet opportunities likely to arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9363/24]

Further and Higher Education

Bernard Durkan

658. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which he sees the demand for innovation extending in the future in the field of job opportunities; whether he remains satisfied regarding the ability of the higher education system to meet the challenges in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9364/24]

Further and Higher Education

Bernard Durkan

659. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of places currently taken up by fourth level education students throughout the country; the extent to which these numbers incorporate the academic and technical sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9365/24]

Data Centres

Cormac Devlin

660. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the location of the data centre or centres used by his Department; the reason it was chosen; the distance it is from his Department’s offices; if he will identify the centres used by each agency under his Department’s aegis; and the distance these data centres are to their offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9394/24]

Grant Payments

Danny Healy-Rae

300. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8420/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Cian O'Callaghan

301. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has plans to introduce an apprenticeship for tiling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8459/24]

Student Accommodation

Violet-Anne Wynne

302. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the availability of student accommodation in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8546/24]

Public Sector Pensions

Verona Murphy

178. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has made any progress on allowing researchers at technological universities access to the single pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8116/24]

Third Level Fees

Paul Murphy

179. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a college fee waiver will be given to a person (details supplied) in order that they can continue their studies; if not, how their college fees can be covered for the remainder of their course, given they are an international protection applicant; if they will be eligible for the international protection student scheme for FE and HE students for future semesters; and if there is a way for them to access student accommodation now. [8171/24]

Medical Research and Training

Colm Burke

180. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will work with the relevant educational and professional bodies to advance a specific rural curriculum and pathway within undergraduate medical education and GP training (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8197/24]

Medical Research and Training

Colm Burke

181. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will work with the relevant educational and professional bodies to increase the exposure time spent by medical students in general practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8198/24]

Student Accommodation

Niamh Smyth

182. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will review correspondence (detail supplied) and advise a student regarding her rental property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8295/24]

Ministerial Staff

Catherine Murphy

641. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of hours driven by each of the civilian drivers assigned to the Minister and Ministers of State in the Department in 2023. [7489/24]

Third Level Education

Neasa Hourigan

642. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to fund an extension of the number of fully funded radiation therapy places in Trinity College, Dublin and University College, Cork ahead of September 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7570/24]

Third Level Education

Neasa Hourigan

643. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to fund an extension of the number of practise tutors for radiation therapy courses in Trinity College, Dublin and University College, Cork ahead of September 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7571/24]

Artificial Intelligence

Louise O'Reilly

644. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is confident the State is investing enough on resource-intensive data and computing power to help the research and academic community build and understand AI. [7703/24]

Research and Development

Louise O'Reilly

645. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is confident Irish SMEs are benefiting from the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking; the involvement of private and public Irish entities to date with the undertaking; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7705/24]

Research and Development

Louise O'Reilly

646. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is confident the Irish research community is benefiting from the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking; the involvement of private and public Irish entities to date with the undertaking; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7706/24]

Grant Payments

Holly Cairns

647. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether he would review the internal process within SUSI for classifying students under 23 years of age as being irreconcilably estranged from their parents; if he is aware that students who have become estranged from their parents after having aged out of TUSLA’s remit, must receive a court order to prove their estrangement; if alternative, less expensive avenues to prove estrangement can be introduced ahead of the upcoming academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7735/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

648. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 578 of 30 January 2024, when an answer can be expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7978/24]

Education and Training Boards

Michael Creed

649. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress that has been made with regard to a cohort of workers (details supplied) in connection with contracts of employment, in particular the progress made on foot of union responses to the published proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8005/24]

Grant Payments

Matt Shanahan

650. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the Environmental Protection Agency has announced it has awarded research grants of €14.3 million for 33 new research projects; if he will outline in tabular form the funding awards to individual third level and/or scientific gateway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8042/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

651. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 131 of 17 February 2021, the value of direct financial supports provided to purpose-built student accommodation providers in 2000 to 2010, and 2019 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8077/24]

Further and Higher Education

Willie O'Dea

406. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to provide improved contracts, redress, employment conditions and pensions for adult education teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7119/24]

Further and Higher Education

Brendan Smith

407. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will give detailed consideration to all the issues outlined in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7129/24]

Public Sector Pay

Paul Murphy

408. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department will offer adult education tutors parity with their post-primary colleagues doing the same work and a contract that truly reflects their professionalism and dedication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7211/24]

Referendum Campaigns

Carol Nolan

332. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures he is taking to ensure that organisations, including State bodies under the aegis of his Department as well as non-governmental organisations and charities that are in receipt of funding from his Department, do not use any portion of such funding to campaign or promote a position in favour or against any outcome of the forthcoming referenda on Articles 41.1.1, 41.2.1 and 41.2.2 of the Constitution, thereby breaching the McKenna principles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6762/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

333. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to the delivery of purpose built student accommodation for the technological universities, if he envisages a role for the Irish Strategic Investment Fund through Activate Capital, which has already part funded some other PBSA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6802/24]

Student Accommodation

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

334. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science hat steps his Department has taken to prevent the practice of full year compulsory lease lengths being imposed on students by private student accommodation providers in Dublin and Cork, such as a company (details supplied) that owns 11 properties nationally and is offering students leases that are 52 weeks long. [7149/24]

Student Accommodation

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

335. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware that an organisation (details supplied) is reporting that students in private accommodation fear availing of their rights under the legislation for student specific accommodation as they fear the risk of not having their lease renewed at the beginning of the subsequent academic year; and what measures his Department can take to address those concerns [7150/24]

Student Accommodation

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

336. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how his Department will ensure the enforceability of the definition for ‘student accommodation’, as provided for in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended by the Residential Tenancies Act 2019 (details supplied). [7151/24]

Third Level Fees

Richard Bruton

612. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 57 of 31 January 2024, the reason SUSI is refusing to accept child benefit as proof of residence for a home-schooled Irish born child of a resident Irish citizen, despite the fact that under statute such payments can only be made on Irish residency. [6057/24]

Third Level Fees

Denis Naughten

613. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 57 of 31 January 2024, the reason SUSI is refusing to accept child benefit as proof of residence for a home-schooled Irish born child of a resident Irish citizen, despite the fact that under statute such payments can only be made on Irish residency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6059/24]

Third Level Fees

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

614. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will address the scenario in which a college student changes course or repeats a year due to adverse personal circumstances and subsequently has to pay higher fees, and is doubly disadvantaged by not being able to avail of the €1,000 Government credit as announced by Budget 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6096/24]

Further and Higher Education

Pearse Doherty

615. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 1814 and 1813 of 17 January 2024, when full responses will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6327/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

616. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps that have been taken to combat the practice of compulsory lease lengths imposed on students by private student accommodation providers in Dublin and Cork including a company (details supplied). [6354/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

617. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how his Department will ensure the enforceability of the definition for student accommodation as provided for in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended by the Residential Tenancies Act 2019 (details supplied) for the purpose of ensuring that licence agreements and other measures designated for student specific accommodation is not used by providers that place their properties outside the scope of the said definition through imposing a lease length that is longer than the academic term. [6355/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

618. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the Government's position on approving the PPP engineering building at SETU campus Waterford and agreeing contracts to immediate construction understanding that this project was separated from a batch one proposal in 2020 which are now completed, understanding that this project was first planning approved in 2011 with present planning permission to expire in coming months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5917/24]

Third Level Fees

Neasa Hourigan

619. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the work that has been undertaken to include payments incurred by families under the fair deal scheme for care in the consideration of eligibility for the SUSI grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6450/24]

Further and Higher Education

Cathal Crowe

620. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will support calls for post-graduate medicine courses in Ireland to be upgraded from QQI level 8 to QQI level 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6497/24]

Further and Higher Education

Cathal Crowe

621. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in view of the shortage of medical doctors and nurses in Ireland, if he will give consideration to introducing an additional qualification category for SUSI grants so that students who have already completed a QQI level 8 degree, and are undertaking an additional postgraduate course to train as a medical doctor or nurse (also QQI level 8) become, in principle, entitled to bursary support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6498/24]

Adult Education Provision

Michael Healy-Rae

345. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the contract negotiations of an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5776/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

346. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 200 of 31 January 2024, to outline the research and research processes that underpin this reply, particularly the general sentiment that recruitment, rather than applications in the TU sector is positive since their individual inception and the specific explanatory rationale for the recent decline proffered. [5941/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

347. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 200 of 31 January 2024, and the technological sector advancement fund referenced therein which is purported to provide €50 million to continue to assist new technological universities in their post-establishment phase; the amount of disbursed monies from this fund; the precise total funds amount approved to each TU to date, in tabular form; will the Minister comment as to where exceptionalism is being demonstrated by him and his Department in terms of this funding disbursement to recognise the unique deficit the southeast region suffers given that it has no National University institution to support third level delivery unlike the other regions of the country; his plans to further enforce exceptional funding to the southeast region because of this known deficit and regional imbalance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5942/24]

Construction Industry

Ivana Bacik

577. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will make a statement on a report by an organisation (details supplied) on construction labour shortages. [5687/24]

Special Educational Needs

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

578. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what efforts are being made by his Department to increase the number of professionals providing services for autism and special needs children; and how many college places have been made available in each of the past five years for students wishing to qualify as speech therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and specialist child psychologists in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4989/24]

Children in Care

John Brady

579. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has explored the creation of links between higher education institutions' access offices and Tusla aftercare services to ensure that students with care experience are linked in to on-campus supports to promote retention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5015/24]

Third Level Admissions

Michael Healy-Rae

580. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason an application for a course (details supplied) has been refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5095/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

581. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current numbers of apprentices awaiting off-the-job job training for phases 2, 4 and 6, broken down into the two categories of waiting 0-6 months and waiting more than six months, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5133/24]

Further and Higher Education

Richard Bruton

582. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has considered recognising the British and Irish Institute of Modern Music for grant purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5234/24]

Official Travel

Peadar Tóibín

583. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of times he embarked on visits to foreign countries on behalf of the State since the formation of the Government; the geographical location of each visit; the number of days he spent abroad on such trips; the dates upon which each trip took place; and the associated travel and accommodation costs which were incurred by his Department in respect of each trip, in tabular form [5243/24]

Education and Training Boards

Michael Lowry

584. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when hourly-paid adult education tutors with the ETB will receive parity with their full-time equivalent colleagues in respect of the terms and conditions for their employment, particularly a public service contract and access to an incremental salary scheme (details supplied); what work he is undertaking to avoid further disputes with this sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5282/24]

Departmental Advertising

Peadar Tóibín

585. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount spent on traditional and online advertising by his Department in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [5350/24]

Departmental Advertising

Peadar Tóibín

586. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has spent money or sought external assistance with Departmental and ministerial public relations; if so, the cost; and the name of the agencies, consultants and companies involved in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [5368/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Peadar Tóibín

587. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount spent by his Department on legal costs or services in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [5386/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Peadar Tóibín

588. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount spent by his Department on the procurement of office space, and furniture and office IT equipment in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024. [5404/24]

Education Costs

Pauline Tully

589. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science , further to Parliamentary Question No. 528 of 29 November 2022, the actions he has taken since December 2022 to increase the supply of domestic medical graduates; and the number of domestic medical graduates in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. [5493/24]

Education Costs

Pauline Tully

590. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science , further to Parliamentary Question No. 528 of 29 November 2022, the actions he has taken since December 2022 to increase the supply of medical graduates from EU countries, excluding Ireland; and the number of medical graduates from EU countries other than Ireland in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. [5494/24]

Further and Higher Education

Paul Donnelly

591. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on collaboration between the Irish institute of higher education with its counterparts in Spain. [5527/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

592. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the fire safety procedures and policies by which university-owned student accommodation must abide; if this incudes fire extinguishers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5559/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Seán Canney

593. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the different rates of pay given by SOLAS to apprentices who are undertaking the same off-the-job training programme, will get the same qualification and do the same work; if he will address the pay difference paid by SOLAS to electrical apprentices in the engineering industry and electrical industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5602/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

385. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to his appearance before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 24 January 2024, if he will clarify whether a proposal (details supplied) was made via an organisation or by the individual universities; and if the latter is the case, which universities made this request; the number of vacant or derelict buildings they have; the number of student beds which each university building could house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4677/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

386. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to his appearance before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 24 January 2024, he stated that a union (details supplied) had endorsed his new Student Housing Policy, can he identify where such an endorsement can be found; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4678/24]

Further and Higher Education

Mairéad Farrell

387. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether spending from the National Training Fund affects expenditure (details supplied); if an explanation can be provided for each, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4679/24]

Third Level Education

Mairéad Farrell

388. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what supports are currently available for part-time post graduate services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4683/24]

Third Level Fees

Steven Matthews

389. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 24 January 2023, if those students who did not receive the one-off third level support (details supplied) can be considered for a separate cost-of-living grant in recognition of their higher fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4720/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Cathal Crowe

390. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the latest breakdown, by county of apprenticeship registration levels and total apprenticeship population levels by trade, sector for each of the years from 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [4847/24]

Departmental Funding

Matt Shanahan

196. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide all disbursements of moneys from his Department, national research bodies or HEA, by year and by funding stream, to include but not limited to State grant, fee income, research funding and grants, capital investments, PPP payments, ad-hoc disbursements, and the various transformational funding schemes, in respect of each of the technological universities since 2020, in tabular form. [4356/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

197. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to detail a timeline and schedule of pre-procurement and procurement activities, including any costs defrayed in respect of the three PPP projects contemplated at SETU Waterford since 2005. [4357/24]

Further and Higher Education

Matt Shanahan

198. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of additional college places, by higher level institution, provided in each of the areas in medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary since 2020, in tabular form. [4358/24]

Further and Higher Education

Matt Shanahan

199. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide a statement on the original projected costs and now envisaged final total cost in respect of the Cork School of Music and Cork Maritime College. [4359/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

200. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide a statement on the general decline in student numbers across the technological university sector since the sector was established. [4360/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

201. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to explain the nature of the slow and painstaking work in studying and developing of a borrowing framework by his Department for the technological sector. [4361/24]

Institutes of Technology

Matt Shanahan

202. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to detail the annual payments in respect of the loans provided to IT Tralee and Waterford IT since the loan was provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4362/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

203. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to his forthcoming new Student Accommodation Strategy, if he is proposing the use of public private partnerships for the delivery of student accommodation by the technological universities; given the past criticism of PPPs from a value for money perspective, if his Department conducted a risk analysis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4395/24]

Technological Universities

Matt Shanahan

204. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to detail the progress of new lecturing and research contracts for faculty working in the technological university sector in light of the OECD Report entitled 'A Review of Technological University Academic Career Paths, Contracts and Organisation in Ireland'; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4512/24]

Further and Higher Education

Brendan Griffin

205. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be provided with a travel allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4559/24]

Technological Universities

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

576. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an update on his Department's work on the borrowing framework for technological universities; if there is a proposed timeline for when such a framework would be published; if he recognises the disadvantage that the inability to borrow places on technological universities compared with traditional universities in respect of borrowing for the provision of student accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3651/24]

Departmental Contracts

Catherine Murphy

577. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has availed of services and-or consultancy from a list of related companies (details supplied) in the past five years to date; if so, if he will provide a schedule of costs and the purpose for which the company was engaged; and if he continued to use services provided by it. [3782/24]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Mairéad Farrell

578. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for the full list of craft apprenticeships, along with the latest taught version of the syllabuses; the date it was first published; the date of last review by QQI, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3836/24]

Education and Training Boards

Sean Fleming

579. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on the total allocation of capital grants, devolved capital grants and the further education capital grants to the Laois-Offaly Education and Training Board and if the Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3849/24]

Further and Higher Education

Catherine Murphy

580. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide the total allocation under the Student Assistance Fund provided to each higher education institution for the past three academic years including 2023-2024, in tabular form. [3879/24]

Student Accommodation

Mairéad Farrell

581. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the date his new Student Accommodation Strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4071/24]