Written Answers Nos. 50-69
61. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide details on plans to upgrade accommodation facilities at the Bray Institute of Further Education; to provide an outline for longer-term plans to redevelop the site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26508/24]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, Kildare Wicklow ETBs proposal for Bray Institute of Further Education was successful at the first stage of the assessment process under the FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund and is now at the next stage of the process – The development of a Preliminary Business Case. The development of a robust business case is fundamental to the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines.
The proposal put forward by KWETB for the Bray site is one of twelve projects that are currently being progressed under this fund. Their proposal centres on the consolidation and integration of provision at the Bray Institute of Further Education campus.
SOLAS and officials from my department met with all twelve ETBs including KWETB, in recent weeks to discuss their proposals in the context of relevant regional and national FET policy objectives. KWETB is now working on refining its' business case proposal to ensure it will deliver on its' priority infrastructure requirements that will meet the needs of their learners and staff.
Once business cases are updated and submitted, they will be evaluated by SOLAS and my department. Those proposals that meet the required evaluation criteria will move to the next stage of development, which is the Pre-Tender – Project Design, Planning and Procurement Strategy stage.
My Department, through SOLAS, is also engaging with KWETB in respect of two applications for improvement works to the Bray Institute of Further Education, submitted under the Emergency Health and Safety Works programme. These applications are for works to address leaks to the roof of the main building and the replacement of a number of prefabricated units.
Question No. 62 answered orally.
63. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline details of current or proposed plans to create apprenticeships around the wind energy sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26509/24]
View answerI welcome the Deputy's question and I am happy to advise him that many of the suite of apprenticeships programmes currently in place equip participants with relevant skills that are essential to support the success of Ireland's wind energy sector.
In light of the extensive supply chain required for wind farm development, these apprenticeship programmes include the wind turbine maintenance technician apprenticeship, geo-drilling, accounting technician and various electrical, logistics, manufacturing and engineering programmes.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a planning apprenticeship is now also in development, the success of which will be very relevant to increasing national wind energy capacity.
In light of its specific focus on the growth of the wind energy sector, I would like to highlight in particular the wind turbine maintenance technician apprenticeship, provided by Kerry Education and Training Board. This is a three-year programme designed to meet the needs of the growing renewable and sustainable energy sector. The programme launched in 2022 with 14 apprentices and currently has 29 apprentices enrolled. On completion of the programme, apprentices are awarded a Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Industrial Wind Turbine Engineering.
In addition, my Department is supporting a broad range of initiatives to enable us to meet the workforce challenges and skills needs associated with the development of renewable energy, including the development of offshore wind.
My Department is also actively monitoring and planning for future skills requirements for this key sector of the economy through the dedicated Skills and Workforce Workstream of the cross-Departmental Offshore Wind Energy Programme.
67. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures being taken to ensure accommodation providers retain 40-week tenancies for students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26495/24]
View answerI have been engaging with Minister O’Brien and our officials on the decision of some private student accommodation providers to move to 51-week leases from the traditional leases which reflected the academic year. I recognise that while there may be a market for 51-week leases among some members of the student population, it is not desirable for the vast majority of third level students.
Just this morning, Government approved the priority drafting of the Residential Tenancies (Student Specific Accommodation) Bill for passing by the Houses of the Oireachtas during the summer session. This, of course, will be subject to the advices from the Office of the Attorney General. This Bill will ensure that student accommodation contracts will align to the academic year.
It will also tighten protections on advance payments to ensure students are not forced into payments of more than what is currently legislated for.
Student specific accommodation is within the remit of the Residential Tenancies Board. The Residential Tenancies Board provides a confidential dispute resolution service. Investigations can commence based on information received from a member of the public. A student with specific concerns regarding their accommodation should contact the Residential Tenancies Board in the first instance to seek advice or register a complaint.
69. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the professions of planning; his plans, if any, to introduce measures to increase the number of planners who graduate with environmental and climate expertise; if he has worked with an organisation (details supplied) to increase the number of planners who graduate with environmental and climate expertise; the number of planners who have graduated over the past five years with environmental and climate expertise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27023/24]
View answerI recognise the importance of enhancing environmental and climate expertise within the planning profession. Indeed, it is clear that sustainability needs to be embedded in a whole range of disciplines in order to prepare learners for the world of work.
At the same time, it is important to recognise that it is higher education institutions and relevant professional regulators who are responsible for the academic content on higher education programmes. Neither I nor my Department have a role in this, but clearly the expectation is that institutions will be responsive to the evolving skills needs of the sectors they serve.
In line with Ireland’s Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development, ESD to 2030, my Department has established a sectoral advisory group to support the further and higher education sector in exploring issues including best practice in embedding sustainability within programmes.
My Department liaises with the professional representative bodies of key professions, including the Irish Planning Institute, in order to discuss skills supply and demand. Discussions with the Irish Planning Institute were focused on supply and demand of professional planners in the broad sense, and not specific to those with environmental and climate expertise.
Funding is also provided under Springboard+ and the Human Capital Initiative for programmes that support the development of professionals in areas of identified skill need, including planning.
My Department and the tertiary education sector will continue to support and enable expansion of relevant courses to help equip planners with environmental and climate expertise through targeted funding and appropriate collaborations, to promote a responsive and well-prepared planning workforce.
