Written Answers Nos. 499-508
499. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the current services provided at Ennis Hospital; the opening hours; if there are any plans to expand services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53172/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
As the Deputy may be aware, management and administrative grade staff in the Fórsa union in the HSE commenced industrial action on Friday 6th October. As a consequence of this industrial action, members in these grades are not engaging with political forums or processes. As a result, the question asked by the Deputy may be delayed in receiving a response directly from the HSE.
500. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he was aware of concerns from those who have had to wait over five years to complete their SOLAS apprenticeships rather than four; how does he plan to address this; if any measures will be put in place to compensate for lost earnings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52912/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraApprenticeships are demand-led in nature. As such, there are no restrictions on the number of apprentices that can be registered. Craft programmes in particular have seen strong registrations over the past several years, as employers recognise the valuable opportunities that apprenticeship presents. This has created a situation where, despite record levels of investment, system capacity has struggled to match demand, and craft apprentices are delayed in accessing their off-the-job training phases.
At the end of October 2023, there were 5,319 craft apprentices waiting longer than six months to access Phase 2, 134 at Phase 4, and 61 at Phase 6.
In regard to the pipefitting apprenticeship, which is particularly delayed, Phase 2 training is delivered in Cork Education and Training Board (CETB) and Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) by four instructors.
The National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) and SOLAS are actively engaging with CETB and LMETB and employers of pipefitting apprentices to increase capacity.
Overall, SOLAS and the NAO are leading on developing a series of options that will significantly reduce the backlog.
The options are focussed on increasing the capacity of the ETBs, and working with other partners to deliver over 9,500 phase 2 training places in 2024.
Supporting this is a recently commenced recruitment campaign, to ensure that instructors are available as extra capacity comes on stream through planned and already in development capital measures.
Overseeing this is the Department-chaired Apprenticeship Capacity Oversight Group, which membership includes SOLAS, the NAO, ETBs and union representatives. The Group meets weekly and will be monitoring the progress of the actions delivered to address the backlogs, with any issues well flagged and mitigated.
In regard to earnings, I can confirm that apprentices waiting to progress through their training are moved to the next applicable rate based on time served, rather than training phase. In this way they access the correct apprentice rate even if they are delayed in their off-the-job training.
In all cases craft apprenticeship rates are expressed as a proportion of the qualified rate, increasing yearly from 33% of the qualified rate in year one to 90% in year four. This is in recognition of the relevant skill, knowledge and competence achieved and levels of supervision required after an apprentice successfully completes each phase of training.
Off-the-job training allowances for apprentices are calculated with reference to gross-wage norms payable in industry for the different trade sectors. The actual allowance received will generally be less as it is based on the net take-home pay calculated from the gross wage norm. The norm to be used is determined by the industry in which the employer is engaged.
I am happy to inform the Deputy that the Government introduced a cost-of-living package for students in both Estimates 2023 and 2024. As part of these measures, reductions of 33% were applied to the higher education student contribution fee for apprentices. This was in addition to new financial supports for apprentices from under-represented groups.
501. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the titles of the White Papers published by his Department from 2008 to date; if he will provide online links to these papers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52981/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has not prepared any Governmental White Papers during the period in question. However, my Department has published a number of strategies and policy statements in recent years, which set out my Department’s goals and objectives. A selection of these publications includes:
• Annual Report 2022 -www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/8cb17-annual-report-2022-department-of-further-and-higher-education-research-innovation-and-science/
• Impact 2030 - www.gov.ie/en/publication/27c78-impact-2030-irelands-new-research-and-innovation-strategy/
• National Skills Strategy - www.gov.ie/en/publication/69fd2-irelands-national-skills-strategy-2025-irelands-future/
• Action Plan for Apprenticeship, 2021 – 2025 - www.gov.ie/en/publication/0879f-action-plan-for-apprenticeship-2021-2025/
• ‘Adult Literacy for Life’ – a 10 year Adult Literacy Strategy - www.gov.ie/en/publication/655a4-adult-literacy-for-life-a-10-year-literacy-strategy/
• National Access Plan, 2022 to 2028 - www.gov.ie/en/publication/b156c-national-access-plan-2022-to-2028/
• Quantum 2030 - A National Quantum Technologies Strategy for Ireland -www.gov.ie/en/publication/126b4-quantum-2030-a-national-quantum-technologies-strategy-for-ireland/
• Progressing a Unified Tertiary System for Learning, Skills and Knowledge - policy platform -www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/4d5cb-unified-tertiary-system/
• In addition, my Department is currently finalising work on its new Statement of Strategy 2023-2025, which is expected to be published shortly, as well as a new International Strategy.
• Further details in relation to these strategies, plans and policies are publicly available on My Department’s website and on gov.ie.
502. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total number of consultancy reports commissioned or funded by his Department that have been categorised or designated as not for external publication from 2011 to date; the total costs incurred on commissioning or funding these reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53002/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince my Department's formation in 2020, there have been 10 consultancy reports prepared to inform internal departmental decision-making, organisation design and policy development which have not been published. The total cost of these reports since 2020 is €291,673.75.
Further detail can found in the following table:
|
Unit Requested |
Year |
Title of Report |
Cost of Report |
Company involved |
|
FET |
2020 |
National Training Fund Advisory Group Workshop and Report |
€1,800.00 |
John Sweeney (independent consultant) |
|
FET |
2020 |
NTF COVID-19 - Impact Report |
€1,200.00 |
John Sweeney (independent consultant) |
|
ESF / EGF |
2021 |
Provision of ICT advice on the specifications for an electronic data exchange system for the management and control of Ireland’s EU Funds 2021-2027 |
€56,703.00 |
BDO Eaton Square |
|
IRDP |
2022 |
Bibliometric analysis services |
€24,354.00 |
University College Dublin |
|
ESF / EGF |
2022 |
To develop Business Processes for ICT Solution 21 – 27 |
€27,982.50 |
BDO Eaton Square |
|
ESF / EGF |
2022 |
To define the requirements for an electronic data exchange system for the management and control of Ireland’s European Social Fund Plus programme 2021-2027 |
€30,442.50 |
BDO Eaton Square |
|
Org Dev |
2022 |
Values and Behaviours |
€24,600.00 |
Gate One |
|
SPEE |
2023 |
A Pathway to a Career Guidance and Information Portal |
€7,195.50 |
H2 Learning |
|
Org Dev |
2023 |
Strategic Visioning Workshop Report |
€6,119.25 |
Crowe |
|
Org Dev |
2021 |
Organisational Design Report |
€111,277.00 |
Crowe |
|
Total costs incurred: |
€291,673.75 |
503. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount his Department spent in 2021, 2022 and up to 27 November 2023 on advertisements with a website (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53054/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraOver the past three years, the sum of €3,874.11 has been spent on twitter for campaigns such as COVID advice for students, SUSI supports and the launch of the Right Course website.
|
Year |
Amount |
Subject |
|
2021 |
€2,091.11 |
The Right Course website |
|
2021 |
€1,150.50 |
COVID awareness for students |
|
2022 |
€632.50 |
SUSI changes |
|
2023 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Total |
€3,874.11 |
|
504. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount his Department spent in 2021, 2022 and up to 27 November 2023 on advertisements with two websites (details supplied) respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53074/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraOver the past three years, the total spend on facebook and instagram has been €49,113.11.
This covered campaigns on COVID advice for students, student supports, rent a room, and the year of skills.
|
Year |
Amount |
Subject |
|
2021 |
€6,855.75 |
COVID advice for students |
|
2022 |
€977.73 |
SUSI supports changes |
|
2023 |
€3,476.72 |
SUSI support changes |
|
2023 |
€11,297.40 |
Rent a Room campaign |
|
2023 |
€26,505.51 |
EU Year of Skills campaign |
|
Total |
€49,113.11 |
|
505. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount his Department spent in 2021, 2022 and up to 27 November 2023 on advertisements with a website (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53091/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraPlease see the table below:
|
Year |
Amount |
Subject |
|
2021 |
€1,136.86 |
launch of The Right Course website |
|
2022 |
nil |
|
|
2023 |
nil |
|
506. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the titles of the White Papers published by her Department from 2008 to date; if she will provide online links to these papers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52986/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that since the establishment of my Department in 2017 my Department has published no White Papers.
However, I would note that the general scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill was published in April 2022 and is available at www.gov.ie/en/publication/0dfac-general-scheme-charities-amendment-bill-2022. I intend to have a finalised Bill for the consideration of Government in the very near future.
507. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total number of consultancy reports commissioned or funded by her Department that have been categorised or designated as not for external publication from 2011 to date; the total costs incurred on commissioning or funding these reports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53007/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that since the establishment of my Department in 2017 there have been no consultancy reports commissioned or funded that have been categorised or designated as not for external publication.
508. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount her Department spent in 2021, 2022 and up to 27 November 2023 on advertisements with a website (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53059/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra509. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount her Department spent in 2021, 2022 and up to 27 November 2023 on advertisements with two websites (details supplied) respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53079/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra510. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount her Department spent in 2021, 2022 and up to 27 November 2023 on advertisements with a website (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53096/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 508, 509 and 510 together.
My Department uses online platforms, including social media, to raise awareness of our policies, the supports that we provide to communities across the State and the funding schemes that we administer.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below:
Advertisement expenditure on social media platforms/websites 2021 - 27 November 2023
|
|
2021 |
2022 |
up to 27 November 2023 |
|
X (formally Twitter) |
€4,798.58 |
Nil |
Nil |
|
|
Nil |
Nil |
€472 |
|
|
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
|
|
Nil |
Nil |
€7,649.07 |
