Written Answers Nos. 514-529
514. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if he will increase the number of tobacco and vape test purchase checks for ID, given the recent ban on under-18 vape sales and concerns that there are no plans for additional inspections in the HSE service plan; if he will increase the number of inspections for non-compliant or illegal vape products to above 40; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27288/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
515. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if he has data on non-traditional retail outlets selling vaping products and the volume of vapes they sell; if he has plans for additional compliance checks on these shops, given concerns around the supply of illicit vapes and their inexperience in selling age-gated products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27289/24]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
516. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the NHS ‘swap to stop’ scheme which provides vape starter kits to high-risk groups of smokers such as pregnant women; if the Irish health service would consider offering vape-starter kits, given that Healthy Ireland found that one in four smokers who successfully quit used a vape; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27290/24]
View answerThe HSE National Stop Smoking Clinical Guidelines (Guideline No. 28) were published in 2022. These guidelines define best clinical practice for smoking cessation, including for pregnant women. The Guidelines do not recommend e-cigarettes for smoking cessation as the evidence regarding their effectiveness and safety profile as a stop smoking support is evolving. In February 2023 the HSE announced the rollout of free stop smoking medication such as nicotine replacement therapy for anyone who engages with their smoking cessation services. The combination of behavioural support such as that provided by the HSE QUIT programme and pharmacological support has been found to be the most effective way of enabling people to stop smoking.As part of Budget 2023 Government removed VAT on all nicotine replacement therapies thus reducing the cost of these products to people who wish to stop smoking. I have also recently agreed that nicotine replacement therapies should be included in the Drug Payment Scheme and to remove the two week limit that applied to first prescriptions of these therapies. As part of Budget 2024, an additional 1.1 million euro was granted for the free NRT scheme.This increased investment in the Quit Service is having a significant impact with record numbers of over 19,000 people accessing the Quit Service in 2023 and quit rates exceeding targets. This is set to be even higher in 2024, as the HSE saw a 66% increase in the first quarter of 2024 compared with the same time last year.In the context of the enormous costs of tobacco to our society, I will continue to ensure that significant funding is provided for stop smoking services, and to reduce the barriers to access evidence-based support.
517. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if apprenticeships will be made more attractive for young people given the shortage of people taking up trades. [27268/24]
View answerMy Department's Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 aims to promote apprenticeship as a route to valuable qualifications and high-quality jobs and careers.
My priority is to make apprenticeships attractive for even more young people, given our skills and workforce needs under priority Government strategies.
As part of this, the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) is continuing to work with the Institute of Irish Guidance Counsellors to promote and increase awareness of apprenticeship in schools and with parents.
WorldSkills Ireland, sponsored by my Department, is promoting skills based careers and apprenticeship to over 30,000 second level students from across the country. This year's event will take place from the 25th to 27th of September.
The National Apprenticeship Office's "Facts, Faces, Futures" campaign highlighted the skills, talent and contributions made by female apprentices across Ireland. A range of print and audio-visual assets showcasing female role models from the current and graduate apprentice community were developed and made available on Apprenticeship.ie, as well as being disseminated to over 130 “girls only” schools in the country with the help of the Authorised Officer network and employers.
Feedback from the initiative has been very positive within the schools’ network, and the visits will continue into 2024. It is planned to place a further emphasis on opportunities in craft apprenticeship areas as part of the Facts, Faces, Futures campaign in 2024.
From May to August in 2023, the NAO ran a major broad-reaching national campaign focussed on encouraging employers and career seekers (school leavers, parents, career changers) to access a range of exciting opportunities with apprenticeship.
The campaign effectively targeted school leavers and career seekers of all ages, showcasing skills and career opportunities with Generation Apprenticeship, running across Meta and youth-focussed platforms (Snapchat, TikTok), radio and audio XI in summer 2023.
In addition, my Department has developed and launched the Careers in Construction Action Plan in August 2023 including the "Building Heroes" peer-to-peer social media campaign to change perceptions of careers in construction and a documentary of a day in the life of construction apprentices will be distributed to second-level schools across the country.
518. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when students can apply for grant funding (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26840/24]
View answerThe parameters of a pilot part-time grant scheme are currently being finalised and I will announce the details in due course.
519. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when details of the availability of SUSI grants for part-time students, announced in Budget 2024, will be published. [27093/24]
View answer520. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if SUSI grants will be made available for part-time students studying at postgraduate level. [27094/24]
View answer521. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the financial supports available to part-time students studying at postgraduate level. [27095/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 519 to 521, inclusive, together.
The Student Grant Scheme is currently targeted at full-time students, including full-time postgraduate students.
The parameters of a pilot part-time grant scheme for undergraduate study are currently being finalised and I will announce the details in due course.
This Scheme will be limited to undergraduate courses as the Student Support Act 2011 only allows for part-time courses at undergraduate level to be approved. Any future extension to postgraduate courses would require a change to the Student Support Act 2011 and would need to be informed by the future development of the Scheme.
522. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason the publication of the review on the status of PhD researchers, that is, classification as either students or employees, has been delayed; if it will be published before the 2024-2025 academic year;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27096/24]
View answer523. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on his engagement with the Minister for Justice in respect of creating a separate process for non-EU/EEA PhD researchers to apply for the 1G visa upon submitting their thesis (details supplied). [27097/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 522 and 523 together.
In October 2022, an independent and comprehensive National Review of State Supports for PhD Researchers was announced; the first time that this issue has been considered holistically in this manner. The first report of the Co-Chairs, Dr Andrea Johnson and Mr David Cagney, was published in summer 2023. In it they recommended an increase towards an optimum PhD stipend level of €25,000, subject to funding availability.
In Budget 2024, funding was secured to increase the PhD stipend offered by my competitive research funding agencies, the Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland, from €19,000 to €22,000 annually, i.e. a 15.8% increase. This builds on the increase secured under Budget 2023, demonstrating my Department's clear and consistent commitment to this issue. My officials continue to engage with the budgetary processes with the aim of progressing the matter further.
The Co-Chairs' independent final review report will encompass the outstanding elements of their Terms of Reference and will be published by my Department in due course. It will include their findings with regard to whether PhD students are classified as employees or continue as students, and issues particularly affecting underrepresented groups. PhD status is relevant to a number of other themes considered by the Co-Chairs in their work, including treatment of non-EU/ EEA PhD students, and it is anticipated that their final report will help to provide clarity in this complex area. With regard to the particular issue that has been raised by the Deputy, I would also note that the duration of a particular stipend is a matter for individual funders across a range of Government Departments, who adopt approaches appropriate to their own individual circumstances and requirements.
524. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on whether reducing the financial burden on students in higher education institutions and their families is urgently required; if he will review the student grant scheme SUSI, including a review of the level of supports offered to students for their college contribution, with a view to making higher education more accessible to all, in view of the significant changes in the economic landscape and the increased cost-of-living; if he will commit to a comprehensive review of the SUSI grant eligibility criteria, maintenance support levels, and the adjacency rates to ensure they reflect the current financial challenges faced by students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27126/24]
View answerI am very much aware that the rising cost of living is impacting students, and my Department has ensured that measures to support students have formed a core part of the Government's overall response to cost of living issues.
In respect of Higher Education Costs, for the majority of students, Budget 2023 and Budget 2024 has had the effect of reducing the cost of higher education. For the second year in a row, as a cost of living measure my Department has reduced the student contribution fee by €1,000 for free fees eligible students and increased the postgraduate fee contribution grant by €1000.
For students who are in receipt of a maintenance grant there have been increases to maintenance grants over the past number of budgets. From September 2024 all non-adjacent maintenance rates will increase by €615 and all adjacent maintenance rates by 10% from the September 2023 rates. The Deputy will be aware that this benefit has already commenced effective from January 2024 so maintenance grant recipients have seen their grant payments increase proportionally from that date.
Maintenance grants to eligible postgraduate students will be restored in full effective from September 2024 with eligible students this academic year receiving pro-rata grants.
Effective from September 2024 the income thresholds for the Band 4 maintenance grant and the 100% Student Contribution grant will increase.
The parameters of a pilot part-time grant scheme are currently being finalised and I will announce the details in due course.
In addition the Rent Tax Credit is increasing to €750 per individual and €1,500 per jointly assessed couple for 2024 and 2025. Payments made by parents in respect of “digs” or rent-a-room arrangements for their children to attend an approved course will now qualify for the Rent Tax Credit. This is provided the claimant and their child are not related to the landlord. This change will apply retrospectively for the years 2022 and 2023.
In respect of the Further Education Sector, PLC charges levied across the sector will be removed from next September.
In advance of Budget 2025 this autumn I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to reduce the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to improve student supports. I will have regard to these options when making proposals in the context of budget discussions.
525. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of contracted staff, full-time and part-time, employed by his Department, and by any body or entity under the aegis of the Department, who are specifically assigned to processing freedom of information requests (details supplied), in each of the past three years; the Civil Service grade of each; the number of freedom of information requests dealt with by his Department, or any body or entity under its aegis, in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27234/24]
View answerMy Department does not have any staff who are specifically assigned to processing of freedom of information requests. It has a Memorandum of Understanding in place and operates on a shared services basis with the Department of Education in this regard.
The information in respect of aegis bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document, should the Deputy wish to contact the aegis bodies directly with their query.
526. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of an apprenticeship for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27245/24]
View answerApprenticeship scheduling is carried out on a national basis by the coordinating provider and all efforts are made to schedule apprentices to their nearest available training location. If this is not possible, they will be called to the next nearest available location.
All apprentices are advised at their mandatory Apprenticeship Induction briefings of the apprenticeship scheduling process, and are also assigned an Authorised Officer as their point of contact.
I would advise you to encourage the individual referred to in your query to speak with their Authorised Officer about this matter, who will be able to advise on the issue, and for them to maintain contact with SOLAS or the National Apprenticeship Office.
I am assured by the National Apprenticeship Office that apprentices who are awaiting their next phase of training are being processed in an equitable manner, as efficiently as is possible.
527. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which he continues to pursue the objective of providing more graduates in both the academic and technical sectors in the future; if he has identified specific targets in this area; the extent to which those targets are being met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27246/24]
View answer528. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which fourth level educational qualifications continue to be advanced in line with requirements, with particular reference to availability of academic graduates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27247/24]
View answer533. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which he proposes to broaden the higher education opportunities for undergraduates with a view to maximisation of their opportunities in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27252/24]
View answer534. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the degree to which he expects science to play an increased role in the higher education sector, with particular reference to ensuring an adequate number of graduates to meet the demands of the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27253/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 527, 528, 533 and 534 together.
It is a top priority of my Department to remove barriers to third level education. Since the establishment of my Department in June 2020, there has been significant progress in enhancing both quality and access in the tertiary education system. As the Deputy is aware, a substantial amount of additionality has been introduced under the existing infrastructure, to meet the demand for acute skills needs, particularly in the health sector. The delivery of such programmes is complex and requires collaboration from multiple Departments and agencies to ensure sustainability and the maintenance of standards of quality provision.
A number of initiatives have been introduced in the past number of years to broaden the pathways to higher education. A recent example I would like to highlight is the Social Work tertiary degree with the National Tertiary Office and the Social Work Apprenticeship, with the National Apprenticeship Office. This will significantly add to the number of social workers who can be trained and these new pathways complement the existing provision and allow for a diverse student population. I hope to facilitate similar partnerships with professional practitioners and the tertiary education sector replicated in other disciplines.
A significant amount of investment has been made available to progress this work. On May 4th 2022 the Government published Funding the Future, a landmark policy framework on the sustainable funding of the higher education system. It identified €307m as the quantum of annual funding to deliver enhanced performance of the higher education system. This investment is being made by Government over successive budgets. The framework also identified five priority strands of work, which increased core funding could advance, including a strand in relation to enhancing the quality and international standing of the higher education system.
Budget 2023 saw €40.2m secured under Funding the Future while Budget 2024 saw an additional €65.5 million in core higher education funding. This brings the total additional core funding secured since the publication of Funding the Future in May 2022 to €105.7m. Core higher education funding remains a priority for my Department, and I will continue to work to secure right-sized funding for the sector.
Also under Budget 2024, funding was secured to increase the competitive PhD stipend awards provided by Science Foundation Ireland and the Irish Research Council from €19,000 to €22,000 per annum, building on the additional funding that was secured under Budget 2023 and demonstrating my Department’s consistent commitment to this issue. My officials continue to engage with the budgetary processes in order to continue our progress on this.
529. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science arising from his discussions with the academic and technical sectors, the extent to which he satisfied that adequate provision continues to be made in both areas with a view to meeting demand and job specifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27248/24]
View answerOne of my goals as Minister is to ensure that potential learners have access to the educational pathways that allow them reach their potential in a way that meets the very broad and rapidly changing needs of our labour force, the economy and society. It is therefore my objective to ensure that there is access into either further or higher education for each person who wishes to pursue educational options at third-level.
Our higher education system has expanded significantly over the past number of years, from 209,300 enrolments in 2014/2015 to 256,785 enrolments in 2023/2024 academic year. This represents a 23% increase over the last decade in higher education. My Department will continue to engage proactively with all relevant Departments and agencies to meet the workforce demands across the public sector, health sector, enterprise and industry.
The expansion of further, higher and apprenticeship provision which has been introduced under my Department will assist in meeting the demands of our workforce needs with appropriately qualified graduates. The most recent Graduate Outcomes Survey data published by the HEA indicated that almost 90% of graduates who responded to the survey are in full time employment.
While my Department has responsibility for skills policy, this broader skills ecosystem informs and drives responsive, flexible forecasting, planning, and provision. The National Skills Council (NSC) and nine Regional Skills Fora (RSF), created under the National Skills Strategy, foster engagement and collaboration between relevant Government Departments and agencies, the education and training system, and enterprise. The broader skills ecosystem also encompasses entities including the Skills and Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU, hosted in SOLAS), the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment) and the National Training Fund Advisory Group (NTFAG, DFHERIS).
