Written Answers Nos. 644-651
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]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department currently provides data and computing power to the research and academic community across many fields by funding the Irish Centre for High-End Computing as well as research and education bodies with their own computing facilities, and through membership of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking.
The Irish Centre for High End Computing (ICHEC) provides high-performance computing (HPC) resources and expertise to all researchers based in Irish third-level institutions, including for artificial intelligence applications. Their services are also available to users in industry and the public sector. Across 2023 and 2024 the Department has allocated a total of €3.2 million on top of existing baseline funding for ICHEC to support the ongoing provision of these resources.
My Department also facilitates researchers’ access to resource-intensive data and computing resources through membership of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC). With Participating States EuroHPC operates a network of world-class supercomputing facilities across Europe. Researchers from academia, research institutes, public authorities and industry based in Ireland are eligible to apply for time on these machines, including for work on artificial intelligence.
Specifically on the subject of artificial intelligence, my Department is currently working with European partners to amend the EuroHPC regulation. The proposed amendment would make supporting European leadership in trustworthy artificial intelligence a key objective of the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, including through infrastructural and training supports.
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]
Amharc ar fhreagraMembership of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC) has directly benefited Irish SMEs. In particular EuroHPC has financially supported the SME Accelerator programme at the Irish Centre for High-End Computing under the European High-Performance Computing Competence Centre (EuroCC) initiative.
EuroCC is an initiative by the Joint Undertaking to build a European network of national high-performance computing (HPC) competence centres to bridge existing skills gaps. In Ireland the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC) was selected to host the national competence centre, EuroCC_Ireland. EuroCC_Ireland, a project co-funded by the Department and EuroHPC, has directly supported SMEs in Ireland through the SME Accelerator programme.
The SME Accelerator provides Irish SMEs with access to HPC technical skills and infrastructure and assists with technical solutions. Under this co-funded programme SMEs receive training and one-to-one mentoring with highly skilled HPC staff employed in ICHEC. The programme also assists SMEs looking to migrate their work onto world-class EuroHPC supercomputers.
ICHEC activities as the EuroHPC competence centre include support for Irish academic and enterprise organisations using high-performance computing, high performance data analysis and artificial intelligence. The competence centre offers a broad portfolio of services in all HPC-related areas, tailored to the needs of industry, science and public administration.
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]
Amharc ar fhreagraMembership of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC) has directly benefited the Irish research community. Working with Participating States, EuroHPC has built a world-leading ecosystem of supercomputers and related infrastructure in Europe. Through EuroHPC Ireland’s research community can access a number of world-class supercomputers far more powerful than what is publicly available within Ireland. Researchers in Irish institutions have been successful in securing time on these machines through competitive calls.
EuroHPC has actively supported Irish researchers’ access to these supercomputers by funding relevant programmes at the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC) under their competence centre initiative. Co-funded by EuroHPC and my Department, ICHEC runs an Academic Flagship programme which prepares Irish academic user communities to compete for the large-scale systems offered by EuroHPC. Academic Flagship projects have included research on artificial intelligence and deep learning, astronomical modelling and particle physics.
The competence centre programme at ICHEC, supported by EuroHPC, has also established the HPC Innovation Hub which is directed at public sector organisations. This programme has enabled public sector organisations to progress their digital transformations using high-performance computing.
EuroHPC has also provided opportunities for Ireland’s high-performance computing community to collaborate on projects with European partners. ICHEC is currently part of a consortium led by France and co-funded by EuroHPC to deploy a quantum computer. This is cutting-edge work to develop quantum computers which will be made available for research and development purposes to a wide range of European users.
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]
Amharc ar fhreagraOnly in exceptional cases can candidates who are under 23 be assessed without reference to their parents/guardians income or address, Article 21(3)(b) of the Student Grant Scheme refers.
The assessment of a case of estrangement is carefully considered to ensure there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the exceptional circumstances pertaining in such cases genuinely exists. The scheme does not stipulate precisely how the awarding authority satisfies itself that such circumstances prevail. This is to allow the awarding authority sufficient flexibility to assess the evidence of irreconcilable estrangement in each individual case. The type of documentary evidence required is dependent on the applicant's individual circumstances.
Accepted evidence to support an application can include a letter from a Social Worker/TUSLA confirming the students' estrangement. A Court Order may be used as documentary evidence if available. Other documents may also be provided but must specifically confirm irreconcilable estrangement from their parents.
If an applicant considers they have been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, they may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. If they have had an appeal turned down in writing by an appeals officer in SUSI and remain of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in their case, an appeal may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe (i.e. not later than 30 days after the notification of the determination of the appeals officer to the applicant).
Such appeals can be made by the appellant on line via www.studentgrantappeals.ie.
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]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe full list of craft apprenticeships, along with the latest taught version of the syllabus of each programme; the date it was first published; the date of last review by QQI, is attached. The information which was being collated by SOLAS is now available and is set out in the attached table. As you will note from the table, 15 of 25 craft programme syllabi have proposed roll-outs in 2024. Of these, five programmes have already had their review and revalidation completed. A further four programmes are in the process of being reviewed or being revalidated.
|
Heavy Vehicle Mechanics |
5 |
2016 |
2023 |
Review & validation completed, roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Carpentry & Joinery |
5 |
2016 |
2023 |
Review & validation completed, roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Plumbing |
5 |
2016 |
2023 |
Review & validation completed, roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Metal Fabrication |
5 |
2016 |
2023 |
Review & validation completed, roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Electrical |
5 |
2016 |
2023 |
Review & validation completed, roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Vehicle Body Repair |
4 |
2019 |
2017 |
Revalidation work in progress |
|
Industrial Insulation |
2 |
2009 |
2017 |
Curriculum update & roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Agricultural Mechanics |
2 |
2006 |
2017 |
Curriculum update & roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Electronic Security Systems |
2 |
2010 |
2017 |
Curriculum update & roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Farriery |
2 |
2011 |
2017 |
Curriculum update & roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Pipefitting |
2 |
2014 |
2017 |
Curriculum update & roll-out TBC |
|
Sheet Metal Work |
2 |
2006 |
2017 |
Curriculum update & roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Electrical Instrumentation |
2 |
2007 |
2017 |
Curriculum update & roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Instrumentation |
2 |
2007 |
2017 |
Curriculum update & roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Mechanical Automotive Maintenance Fitter |
2 |
2007 |
2017 |
Curriculum update & roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Toolmaking |
2 |
2007 |
2017 |
Curriculum update & roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Wood Manufacturing |
2 |
2010 |
2017 |
Curriculum update & roll-out proposed 2024 |
|
Brick & Stonelaying |
2 |
2013 |
2017 |
Review has commenced as part of the wet trade review. Anticipate completion and validation by QQI in Q4 2024. |
|
Painting & Decorating |
2 |
2006 |
2024 |
Review has commenced as part of the wet trade review. Anticipate completion and validation by QQI in Q4 2024. |
|
Plastering |
2 |
2006 |
2024 |
Review has commenced as part of the wet trade review. Anticipate completion and validation by QQI in Q4 2024. |
|
Aircraft Mechanics |
3 |
2007 |
2024 |
Programme will be submitted to QQI for validation in Q4 2024 |
|
Motor Mechanics/Automotive Technician |
2 |
2006 |
2024 |
QQI proposed submission date 2024 |
|
Construction Plant Fitting |
2 |
2006 |
2024 |
Review of programme will be submitted to QQI for validation in Q4 2024. |
|
Stonecutting/Stonemasonry |
2 |
2014 |
2024 |
Craft will be submitted to QQI for validation in Q4 2024 |
|
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning |
2 |
2014 |
2024 |
Craft will be submitted to QQI for validation in Q4 2024 |
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]
Amharc ar fhreagraFinalising the outstanding pay claim for tutors is of the utmost priority for me and my Department.
A proposal issued to staff representatives last year to establish a new grade of adult educator, with a standardised pay scale aligned with the Youthreach Resource person scale. This grade will apply to tutors employed in ETBs to deliver FET programmes, who are currently employed under a variety of terms and conditions. The provision of a pay scale will allow for incremental progression and a career path for Tutors in the further education and training sector.
This proposal follows the earlier Labour Court recommendation that the official side make an offer on the issue of a pay scale alignment, while accepting that any offer could not, having regard to the contrasting nature of the roles, qualification, flexibility and regulatory frameworks, involve an alignment with the teacher scale.
The implementation of the proposal has been the subject of further negotiations with staff representatives. A key issue raised related to incremental progression. My Department and the Department of Education, which has regulatory responsibility for the ETB sector, have submitted an updated proposal to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. The award of Building Momentum increases due to those tutors on SOLAS-funded programmes who are paid on self-financing rates will also be addressed as part of this process. Officials are engaging on the updated proposal and it is hoped to conclude this matter at the earliest opportunity.
Each of the over 2,800 tutors employed across the ETBs will have the option to avail of the new arrangements and assimilate on to the proposed new adult educator pay scale or remain on his or her existing arrangements.
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]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy’s question would be more appropriately directed to the Minister of the Environment, Climate and Communications as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) operates under the aegis of that Department.
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]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere has been no direct financial supports provided to purpose built student accommodation providers between 2000 and 2022 inclusive.
The difficulties being faced by students in accessing affordable accommodation is something this Government is committed to addressing. In November 2022, I received Government approval and support for proposals to increase the supply of student accommodation. The Government has for the first time taken measures to intervene in the cost of building student accommodation and is now directly investing in the construction of student accommodation for the first time.
