Written Answers Nos. 630-649
630. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans for expanding the current supports in terms of mental health services across third level education facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40031/24]
View answerIn terms of funding available to the higher education sector for mental health supports, higher education institutions (HEIs) receive funding from a variety of sources that contribute to the expenditure associated with the full range of institutional activities.
Funding includes recurrent funding allocated by my Department to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to HEA funded higher education institutions. Institutions also receive tuition fees which incorporate the previous student services charge following the introduction of the student contribution in 2011. As autonomous bodies the internal disbursement of funding, including the funding and expansion of student services and mental health supports, is a matter for the individual institution.
As part of its broader sectoral objective of supporting students on their journey to success, in and through higher education my Department has provided €25.9 million in additional funding through the HEA to Higher Education Institutions since 2020.
This funding is to further support Higher Education Institutions in meeting the mental health and wellbeing needs of their student population and in implementing the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework (2020). The additional funding was also used to augment coordination of capacity building on a national level through a number National Projects.
The National Projects funded through this allocation are a direct response to the HEA’s Connecting for Life Working Group identifying gaps in the current research and practice. These projects augment policymaking and facilitate the implementation of the Framework, by providing dedicated tools, focused research, and professional collaboration.
In 2022, an additional €900,000 was made available for supporting Ukrainian students registered in Irish HEIs and who are in Ireland under a temporary Section 60 order.
HEIs in receipt of this funding are encouraged to distribute it in support of specific student-facing areas, such as:
- Recruitment of additional Student Counsellors
- Recruitment of additional Assistant Psychologists
- Head of Service posts
- Training of staff to enable them to support and refer students to appropriate services
- Raising awareness among students of mental health and wellbeing services available, including through student outreach activities
The majority of new posts created through this funding have been counsellors, reflecting the capacity building phase of the implementation of the Framework.
HEIs have reported a breadth of positive impacts, from a reduction in engagement times to an increase in the number of sessions provided.
In 2022, the HEA formally took over the implementation of the Healthy Campus Charter and Framework. This Framework aims to embed health and wellbeing more broadly within institutions and provides strategic direction on developing a whole-campus approach to health and wellbeing.
I am pleased to confirm to the Deputy that for 2025 I have ring fenced core funding of €5milliion to continue these important initiatives.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
631. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason a course (details supplied) is not covered for State funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40080/24]
View answerThe Deputy may be aware that the institution to which she refers is funded by the Department of Education.
Private higher education institutions, including the institution to which the Deputy refers, may be able to receive funding or subsidies from the State for limited courses that are approved for funding under specific initiatives.
Through the Free Fees Initiative (FFI) the State has assumed responsibility for compensating institutions for the income previously generated by student tuition fees payable by FFI eligible students, attending free fees approved courses, exclusive of the student contribution.
FFI approved course eligibility is restricted to full-time undergraduate courses in public higher education institutions (HEIs) as well as a limited number of designated courses in private not for profit institutions. The institution under reference has limited free fees eligible courses approved and funded by the Department of Education.
It is open to private institutions, like the college in question, to offer additional undergraduate courses outside those approved for free fees or approved for other State schemes offering a subsidy towards course provision.
As the Deputy will appreciate, while private and private not for profit institutions play an important role in the overall higher education landscape, it is not possible for my Department to directly subsidise all courses or student places provided by private institutions.
In this regard the extension of free fees funding to additional courses in private institutions only applies where a specific teaching and learning need has been identified by the Department, another Department or the HEA.
With respect to the Deputy’s specific question, the course under query was established by the institution and neither this Department nor the HEA have issued a call for the provision of free fees courses in the skill area referenced.
It remains open to the college to apply for funding through competitive call processes such as Springboard+ or other HEA calls for expression of interest to provide courses in response to national skill needs.
632. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to consider allowing children of Irish parents who have emigrated outside of the EU, and have not lived in the EU for three of the past five years, to avail of the free fees scheme to attend third-level education in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40176/24]
View answerUnder the Free Fees Initiative, the State pays tuition fees, exclusive of the student contribution, on behalf of eligible students attending approved full-time undergraduate courses. In order to qualify for funding under the Department's Free Fees Initiative, students must meet the criteria of the scheme including the residency requirements in their own right.
In order to meet the residency criteria a student must have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss/UK state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course.
The three out of five year rule takes cognisance of students who wish to take time out to travel or work abroad. Such students can still meet the residency requirement if they have not been outside the countries referenced above for more than two of the previous five years.
All students are required to meet the residency criteria of the scheme preceding their entry to an approved third level course. Under EU law, nationals of other EU jurisdictions are entitled to access education on the same basis as Irish citizens. It would not be feasible to provide an exemption for persons of Irish nationality only.
Where students do not qualify for free fees funding they must pay the appropriate fee, either EU or Non-EU, as determined by each higher education institution as autonomous bodies.
My Department is conscious of the impact of the Free Fees Initiative eligibility criteria on Irish nationals who had, for occupational or economic reasons, to move abroad, requiring them to take their children out of the Irish education system in the process.
In March 2014, following consideration by Government, the then Minister for Education and Skills requested that the Higher Education Authority (HEA) advise the higher education sector of the Government’s view that, with effect from the academic year 2014/15 onwards, higher education institutions should charge the more moderate rate of EU fee for full-time undergraduate students that commence their first undergraduate course of study in an approved institution here and:
• Hold EU/EEA/Swiss nationality but do not meet the residency clause of the Free Fees Initiative; and
• have completed five academic years of study (at either primary or post-primary level) in an EU/EEA/Swiss State.
It is a matter for the institutions to apply this policy to such students.
633. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of apprentices waiting for off-the-job training, broken down by apprenticeship type and the number of months waiting, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40202/24]
View answerMy Department is continuing to oversee the implementation of a plan put in place by the National Apprenticeship Office to significantly increase apprenticeship capacity and respond to rising craft apprenticeship registrations as a result of our buoyant economy.
As of end-August 2024, a total of 2,484 craft apprentices are waiting six months or longer for Phase 2 off-the-job training this represents a 53% decrease since the implementation of the plan from 5,319 in October 2023 to 2,484 in August 2024. This figure consists of 2,327 apprentices waiting 6-11 months and 157 waiting 12 months or longer.
The 2,484 total figure is broken down by apprenticeship type and the number of months waiting, in tabular form, in the attached PDF document.
It should be noted that waiting lists are an essential as part of the scheduling process to ensure that planning and resources are in place to meet the demand of apprentices in the system and that apprentices are eligible to move to their next phase. Apprentices are waiting for multiple reasons. For example, because some apprentices do not accept the first offer of off-the-job training places that they receive. Waiting lists also allows for places not taken up by apprentices who choose to decline a training offer, which they can opt to do up to three times, to still be filled from the list.
Craft apprenticeships take 48 months to complete. My Department is initiating a review of the optimum craft apprenticeship training timelines within those 48 months.
This Government is committed to growing apprenticeship and my Department secured a significant investment of €77.4m into the apprenticeship system in Budget 2025. This represents the single largest investment in core apprenticeship funding since the formation of my Department in 2020 and, since then, investment in apprenticeship has increased by 83%.
It remains my priority to maintain this momentum, to continue growing the apprenticeship system, and ensure that there are enough training places for current and future skills needs.
634. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide a breakdown of the amount expended by his Department on consultancies in 2023 and to date in 2024; the company engaged; and the nature of the work conducted by the consultancy on his Department’s behalf, in tabular form. [40215/24]
View answerAttached for the Deputy's attention is an excel file prepared by my officials, which provides a breakdown on the amount expended by my Department in 2023 and to date in 2024 on consultancies.
A further comprehensive breakdown on the nature of the work conducted can be found in the Pivot sheet.
635. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a meeting request has been received by his Office from a group representative of south east Oireachtas members in relation to SETU; and the date and time appointed for such a meeting. [40252/24]
View answerA meeting was requested on the 06th September 2024. Due to diary commitments a meeting has not yet been scheduled.
636. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if this jurisdiction is experiencing a shortage of graduates within a particular area that is likely to impact on the corresponding workforce in the future; the plans currently in place to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40286/24]
View answerIreland is experiencing record numbers of people in employment, resulting in a highly competitive market for talent. In the context of these labour market conditions, there are a number of areas which are experiencing shortages of trained professionals.
The November 2023 Skills and Labour Market Research Unit "Difficult-to-Fill Vacancies Survey" identified Science, Technology & Engineering; Construction; Transport & Logistics; Financial; and Health as sectors experiencing some challenges in filling vacancies.
The tertiary education sector is evolving to address these challenges. HEA data shows enrolments in Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction, ICT and Natural Sciences have increased by 13% since 2018/19.
Officials in my Department continue to engage extensively with their counterparts in other Departments regarding workforce planning in areas of skills shortages.
My Department is putting particular priority on supporting the health of the population through the provision of graduates with the key competencies and skills to be effective in the health workforce and support a range of clinical teams in our health services. These include medicine, veterinary medicine, and healthcare professions generally. The Higher Education Authority and the higher education sector have identified where additional places can and should be provided in the higher education system within the existing infrastructure. This has led to a substantial increase in the number of places on these programmes. These additional places will continue to be targeted at areas of acute skills need as identified through our national skills architecture.
Initiatives including Apprenticeships, Tertiary Degrees and Engagement with Enterprise regarding skills will continue to provide alternative pathways for students to participate and overcome barriers to higher education in critical skills areas, including healthcare.
637. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total number of apprenticeships currently available; the extent to which this is sufficient to meet requirements; his plans to introduce any new apprenticeship programmes in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40287/24]
View answerThis Government has made significant investment to grow the apprenticeship system. In Budget 2025 my Department secured a significant investment of €77.4m into the apprenticeship system. This represents the single largest investment in core apprenticeship funding since the formation of my Department in 2020 and, since then, investment in apprenticeship has increased by 83%.
The funding will support skills development in vital areas, especially in construction skills, and support delivery of Government commitments in Housing for All, Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025, National Development Plan, and the Climate Action Plan.
The total number serving an apprenticeship at the end of August 2024 is 27,548.
Currently there are 77 national apprenticeships available, between NFQ levels 5 and 10. This is up from 53 national programmes in 2019, representing a big increase in choice for learners and employers alike.
Adding to 25 traditional craft programmes, consortia-led apprenticeships were developed from 2016 onwards in response to emerging occupational profiles, and are providing employment, career development and a pathway to a recognised qualification for apprentices across 50 plus occupations.
These are now apprenticeships across Logistics, Sales, Hospitality and Food, Construction, Engineering and Motor to name a few sectors.
Digital Marketing and Communications apprenticeship was launched in August 2024 and two new NFQ Level 9 apprenticeships, Social Work and Software Solutions Architect, were launched in May 2024. There are a further 23 apprenticeships in development.
Details of all 77 national apprenticeships are available on www.apprenticeship.ie.
638. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to ensure continued ease of access to third-level for all students seeking to avail of education at this level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40288/24]
View answerFollowing on from improvements made to the Student Grant Scheme in both Budget 2023 and 2024, a range of further measures were announced as part of Budget 2025 to enhance the scheme and other supports.
Improvements to the Student Grant Schemes effective from September 2025 include:
• Increasing the Special Rate of Maintenance Grant threshold from €26,200 to €27,400.
• Increasing Standard Rate Maintenance Grant thresholds and Student Contribution Grant thresholds by 15%
• Increasing the Postgraduate Fee Contribution threshold and the Student Part-Time Fee Scheme threshold to match the new 100% Student Contribution threshold of €64,315.
• Ensuring that the first €5,000 of any scholarship/bursary received by a student will not be included as income in the grant means test.
The increase to income thresholds is the largest increase since the creation of SUSI and underlines the Government’s commitment to inclusion. This measure will ensure students in need of financial assistance are not disadvantaged by recent rising income growth. It will also ensure continued supports to students who are under-represented in Higher Education in particular priority groups outlined in the National Access Plan.
I have also introduced a number of other measures to reduce the cost of education and tackle the cost of living pressures which include the following:
• A once off 33% reduction to the student fee for 14,000 apprentices attending higher education institutes.
• A once off €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee that will benefit an estimated 103,000 higher education students who are eligible for the free fees initiative.
• €9 million funding from the NTF to increase PHD stipends from €22,000 to €25,000 per annum.
• A once off increase to the Postgraduate Fee Contribution from €4,000 to €5,000 for eligible students.
• A once off additional €10 million for the Student Assistance Fund.
Further measures include:
• €5 million for measures to enhance the provision of supports for students with disabilities.
• €6m to deliver approximately 1,200 student accommodation beds for long-term leasing as part of the Technological University Student Accommodation Programme, 30% of which will be below market rates.
• €16.4 million to increase the number of places across veterinary, medicine and other healthcare disciplines.
I was also delighted to launch the new Part Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses which came into effect from September 1st, 2024. This is the first time, under the Student Support Act, that fee support is provided to eligible part-time students attending specified publicly funded undergraduate courses leading to a major award.
There are 62 part-time courses eligible for this scheme for the 2024/25 academic year, encompassing both in-person and hybrid provision. A measure such as this Scheme, which is aimed at supporting socially-economically disadvantaged students, will have an impact on cohorts such as low-income families, lone parents, teen parents, widows, members of the Traveller and Roma communities, persons with disabilities and carers. This new initiative will open access to higher education to many underrepresented groups who cannot participate in full-time programmes.
639. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has identified any specific obstacles which may impede improvement and achievement in the further and higher educational sectors and impact our ability to continue to establish Ireland’s reputation as equal to the best globally in higher education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40289/24]
View answerSince the establishment of my Department in June 2020, a key objective has been the continuing enhancement of quality education provision at third level. My Department has worked to drive performance & governance reform and improved outcomes as we work to deliver a world-class tertiary education system that is accessible, adaptable, and aligned with the evolving needs of society.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 funding required to enhance system performance. 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.€105.7m in additional core funding was secured in Budget 2023 and 2024. In 2025 we will increase core funding by a further €58.7m and I have secured Government agreement for a multiannual investment which will increase core funding to higher education by a further €100 million per annum by 2030. This funding will come from the National Training Fund (NTF) and will allow the higher education sector to increase its staffing levels and strengthen its capacity to provide world-class education.Implementation of the Higher Education Authority Act 2022 continues to be a priority; through this new legislation we are able to bring additional support to the modernisation of governance and accountability mechanisms.In September 2023, the HEA published a new System performance Framework, which sets out parameters under which higher education institutions demonstrate their unique contribution to the achievement of national strategic priorities and outcomes.Regarding Further Education and Training, my Department continues to support SOLAS and the ETBs in implementing the FET Strategy: Transforming Learning. Due to record levels of employment and a competitive market for talent, Ireland is experiencing a skills shortage in various industries, particularly in sectors like construction, technology, healthcare, and green energy. Many of these fields require specific technical or vocational training rather than traditional academic qualifications. This demand is helping to shift perceptions of further education as practical, valuable, and necessary for the economy. While progress has been made, some stigma still exists around further education and training, especially in certain social or academic circles where university pathways are considered more prestigious. Overcoming this entirely will require continuous efforts in raising awareness and promoting the success stories of those who have taken further education and training routes. Government initiatives, industry support, and shifting societal attitudes are helping to elevate the status of further education and training as a valuable, practical, and successful route into employment.The formal launch of TrustEd Ireland on 25th September 2024 will also advance my Department's efforts to secure Ireland's global reputation as a leader in higher education. TrustEd Ireland is a new international education mark that will be awarded to higher education and English language education providers who have demonstrated that they meet new national standards to ensure a high-quality experience for international students, from enrolment to completion of their programme of study.The introduction of TrustEd Ireland reflects the Department’s commitment to upholding and enhancing the quality and integrity of Irish education. This new scheme will cement Ireland’s reputation as a destination of choice for international learners, researchers and innovators.
640. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the role he sees for the further and higher education, research, innovation and science sectors next year and in future years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40290/24]
View answerMy Department’s vision, as outlined in its Statement of Strategy, is to develop an inclusive, learning and innovative society where every person is able to reach their full potential. With a focus on education, training and research, my Department will contribute towards a prosperous, sustainable and vibrant society, ready to meet the challenges of a changing world.
To realise this vision my Department will work to develop skills which meet the needs of stakeholders across the Irish economy and will engage both nationally and internationally with partners to advance research and innovation, in order to position Ireland as a leading international location for researchers, students and post-graduates, and as an advanced knowledge economy. I am pleased that I will also be in a position shortly to announce the name of the new Government Science Advisor.
My Department will also strive to ensure that vulnerable learners, people with disabilities, and people experiencing disadvantage who are engaging in the tertiary system, are able to access the supports they need in order to prosper.
Underpinning all of this, my Department will work to continue the progression of the Further and Higher Education systems, through collaboration with stakeholders in the development of a Unified Tertiary System.
In order to deliver my Department’s mission and vision, my officials have developed a number of key priorities in each of my Department’s six strategic goals, which will provide a framework for my Department’s policy and operational activities over the coming years. These strategic goals are broadly categorised as:
1. Develop Talent
2. Promote Research, Innovation and Science;
3. Support Inclusion;
4. Global Engagement;
5. System Performance and Reform; and
6. Capabilities.
641. 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. [40291/24]
View answerIt is a priority of the Department to expand pathways into and within tertiary education, supporting learners to get to where they want to go according to a learning route that is well-suited to their needs.
There are approximately 400,000 people enrolled in further and higher education in Ireland, and this is projected to grow further in the coming years. My Department has prioritised enhancing the responsiveness of the sector to acute skills needs and this work is ongoing. There has been significant investment in additional provision across multiple programmes and disciplines, including landmark agreements for additionality in Medicine and other healthcare disciplines both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Following on from my announcement regarding two new Veterinary Schools, I expect to announce further investment in healthcare programme expansion in the short and medium term. Funding secured in Budget 2025 will provide crucial resources to support the tertiary education system, including the multiple pathways for students to access higher education and training.Initiatives including Apprenticeships, Tertiary Degrees and Engagement with Enterprise regarding skills will continue to provide alternative pathways for students to participate and overcome barriers to higher education and provide more graduates in critical skills areas.One of my priorities as Minister is to ensure that there are multiple routes for learners to realise their chosen career and educational goals. For anyone who cannot gain access to higher education through the traditional CAO route, there is often an alternative education path available to them. That could be through the new joint tertiary programmes, or through further education or apprenticeships.There are many subsidised programmes offered through higher education that allow for upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning, these include Springboard+, the Human Capital Initiative and micro-credential courses. Many of the courses offered through these programmes focus on areas of skills need, such as ICT, construction, and green skills.Last year new programmes were launched that let you start off a degree in your local Further Education College with all the peer support and familiarity that that setting provides, before moving smoothly on to finish the degree in a Higher Education institution.
The focus for 2025 on onwards will be on expanding programmes offered in areas where there are acute skills needs, or a lack of diversity in the student body, such as teaching and healthcare professions. Entry to tertiary programmes is outside the CAO system, providing an alternate pathway to a degree for individuals who may not have received the requisite points for a course they’re passionate about.Budget 2025 includes an allocation of over €4.5 billion for my Department. This will allow for a significant increase in funding for higher education, including an additional €50m in core higher education funding from the National Training Fund, with annual increases in core funding from the NTF up to a level of €150 million per year by 2030.
One of this Government’s primary aims in third level education is to make sure that there are a wide range of third level opportunities available for students and a variety of pathways available for those learners who need them – pathways that that provide opportunities for all learners to reach their full potential.
642. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which he continues to liaise with the technical sector in education with a view to ensuring adequate provision in respect of graduates in both areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40292/24]
View answerMy Department is focused on driving a skills ecosystem and skills agenda in Ireland which is agile and responsive to priority skills needs, including changes in the world of work driven by technology, to ensure Ireland has a skilled and productive workforce.
My Department places a fundamental focus on working with the skills ecosystem, to ensure an adequate pipeline of skills to match business and enterprise needs and requirements in the workplace. The effectiveness and impact of the whole of the tertiary education system is enhanced when education and training provision, as well broader upskilling and reskilling opportunities, are informed by the experience, insights and expertise of the enterprise sector.
Skillnet, the National Skills Council and the Regional Skills Fora network all work closely with my Department to foster engagement, dialogue, and collaboration between the education and training system, the enterprise agencies, and enterprise representatives in relation to skills priorities.
Skillnet, Ireland’s workforce development agency, works closely with companies of all sizes, providing upskilling programmes and business supports to enhance productivity, competitiveness and sustainability for Irish companies and the Irish economy. Skillnet is currently developing a SME Incentivisation scheme that looks to further help small and medium sized enterprises with their reskilling and upskilling needs.
On foot of recommendations made by the OECD in its 2023 Review of Ireland’s Skills Strategy, the National Skills Council, has been reconstituted to act as a platform for strategic engagement between the government, industry, and the social partners. The new Council is now a demand-led model that will work independently to provide the government with strategic advice to adapt and evolve its policies quickly and in tune with the fast-shifting skills requirements of society and the labour market. The new Council will be supported by a High-Level Skills Implementation Group, bringing the important views, inputs and expertise of the “supply” side and the public sector. This new approach will allow us to achieve a step-change in skills, talent and workforce development in Ireland.
The Regional Skills Fora, established in 2016 , bring people together at local and regional level, to identify, interrogate and validate skills needs, and to ensure that employers / enterprise are linked to the right places, to get responses needed, meaning matching of need with provision is taking place on an ongoing basis and in a manner which is highly tailored. The Fora provide hugely valuable bottom-up information and insights, to ensure that we have skills policies and approaches, at national level, which are evidence-informed and serving their purpose.
My Department will continue to collaborate closely with the tertiary education sector, business and enterprise, and indeed all key stakeholders, to evolve and improve in order to meet the changes and challenges of the future world of work, and to leverage the opportunities to shape the economy and society that individuals want and need.
643. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of higher education grant applications received, pending, approved and refused for the current academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40293/24]
View answerThe Student Grant Scheme is the principal support for students in financial terms by my Department and is administered on behalf of my Department by the national student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), a business unit of City of Dublin ETB. It provides grant assistance to eligible students attending approved full-time and part-time courses in approved further or higher educational institutions who meet the prescribed eligibility criteria of the relevant scheme.
Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
The table below outlines the number of higher education full and part-time grant applications received, pending, approved and refused for the 2024/2025 academic year. The table does not include applications relating to PLC students.
|
- |
|
|
Higher Education (HE) Grant Applications Received |
85,763 |
|
HE Grant Applications Awarded |
68,477 |
|
HE Grant Applications Refused |
6,418 |
|
HE Grant Applications Awaiting Action by Applicant |
7,289 |
|
HE Grant Applications Awaiting Assessment |
1,601 |
|
HE Grant Applications Cancelled |
1,978 |
Data is as of 4 October 2024 and is likely to change as processing for 2024/25 is ongoing.
644. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the degree to which higher education costs have increased/decreased over the past number of years; the extent of financial assistance now available for all students seeking to avail of third-level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40294/24]
View answerI am very much aware that the rising cost of living continues to impact students, as highlighted by data sources such as the Consumer Price Index and the Eurostudent Survey, in which monthly expenditure was reported by respondents as €1340, up from €1135 in the previous survey.
The Government, through successive budgets, has sought to reduce the cost of higher education including through improvements to the student grant scheme.
For the first time ever, a new part-time fee grant scheme came into effect in September 2024 for specified undergraduate courses. This new scheme will open the doors of higher education to many groups who cannot participate in full time programmes.
I have in Budget 2025 also ensured that measures to support students have formed a core part of the Government's overall response to cost of living issues.
The following immediate once-off measures will benefit current students:-
• I have reduced the student contribution fee by €1,000 which is estimated to benefit c.103,000 higher education students who are eligible for the free fees initiative,
• I have also increased the postgraduate fee contribution grant from €4,000 to €5,000 for c. 2000 students.
• ?A once off 33% reduction to the student fee for 14,000 apprentices attending higher education institutes.
• A once off additional €10 million for the Student Assistance Fund.?
From September 2025 I am delighted to be able to increase all income threshold limits for Student Grants:-
• I am increasing the special rate of maintenance threshold from €26,200 to €27,400 in line with Social Welfare increases.
• I am increasing all other maintenance and student contribution grant thresholds by 15%.
• I am also increasing the postgraduate fee contribution threshold and the part-time fee scheme threshold to match the new 100% Student Contribution threshold which will now be €64,315.
The measures to increase the income thresholds is primarily with a view to recognising the increase in income growth over the last number of years and the effect that this has had on student supports and the number of students eligible to receive a student grant.
Other improvements to the grant include
• Allowing certain cohorts of people to apply for the grant by extending the list of approved immigration permissions;
• Ensuring that the first €5000 of any scholarship received by a student will not be included as income in the grant means test; and,
• A measure to align the treatment of fee scholarships.
I am also pleased that €9 million funding from the National Training Fund has been provided to increase certain PHD stipends from €22,000 to €25,000 per annum.
Budget 2025 also increased the Rent Tax Credit from €750 to €1,000 for students living in purpose built student accommodation, private rentals, digs, or rent a room arrangements.
This Government is committed to reducing the cost of college for families and we have already made significant strides in that regard.
645. 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. [40295/24]
View answerThere are a number of key strategies in place at all levels of education to ensure we meet existing and future skills demands, including in the area of the sciences. These include policies designed to ensure a pipeline of suitably qualified science and technical graduates, and initiatives to equip young people and the working population more generally with the skills and capacity to meet these demands.
From 1st August 2024, the newly established Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland is the new national competitive research and innovation funding agency, established through the amalgamation of the activities and functions of SFI and the IRC. Next month, Science Week will take place from the 10th – 17th November and will explore the theme of regeneration. These events assist in developing new solutions and innovative approaches to societal challenges.
I am acutely aware that STEM education should be supported across the education continuum. My Department aims to support effective interventions in early STEM education, helping students engage with science subjects at an early age and foster interest in STEM careers. My Department will continue to engage with the Department of Education on their STEM Education Policy Statement to ensure that learners are given every opportunity to engage with the sciences, and ensure that pipeline of suitably qualified science graduates is maintained.
The number of students studying STEM at third level has been growing, with the number of enrolments in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics increasing from 22,895 in 2016/17 to 26,600 in 2022/2023 and ICT enrolments from 15,380 to 17,745.
Budget 2025 measures to assist tertiary education, including Science, include;
• €150 million for the Research sector;
• €650m core funding package for Higher Education, addressing Funding the Future by increasing core funding by a further €150m by 2030;
• €600m capital uplift including €150m to provide key training facilities in the areas of Veterinary, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Dentistry;
• €150m for the decarbonisation of the tertiary estate;
• €150m for the Further Education and Training sector;
• €235m for the tertiary sector as one-off current funding including skills and apprenticeships.
646. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the degree to which he continues to make provision for an increased number of technical graduates/apprentices in order to meet the needs of individual sectors in industry with particular reference to the construction sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40296/24]
View answerMy Department's focus is to ensure that workers have the skills required to deliver Government priorities, including for residential construction and retrofitting and the National Development Plan. This can only be achieved by working with industry to ensure that construction skills provision matches identified needs.
My officials work with partners such as the Construction Industry Federation, the National Construction Training Campus (under Laois-Offaly ETB), SOLAS, Education and Training Boards and professional representative bodies to address the matter. There has been a significant expansion of relevant courses, including apprenticeships, as well as the development of new provision to address innovations such as modern methods of construction.
This Government significantly invested to grow the apprenticeship system. Budget 2024 provided €67m which has provided core investment into the apprenticeship system and allowed apprenticeships to continue to grow. Apprentice registrations were 8,712 at end of 2023, up 5% on end of 2022 and up 41% from 2019. Craft apprenticeship registrations increased from 5,271 in 2019 to 6,588 in 2023, a 25% increase.
In Budget 2025, my Department secured another significant investment of €77.4m for apprenticeship. This is the single largest investment in core apprenticeship funding since the formation of my Department in 2020. Indeed, since 2020, investment in apprenticeship has increased by 83%.
The funding will support skills development in vital areas, and in construction skills in particular, supporting delivery of Government commitments in Housing for All, Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025, National Development Plan, and the Climate Action Plan.
The total number serving an apprenticeship at the end of August 2024 is 27,548. Currently there are 77 national apprenticeships available, between NFQ levels 5 and 10. This is up from 53 national programmes in 2019, representing a significant increase in choice for learners and employers alike. 31 of the 77 national apprenticeships are construction or construction related. There has been a 34% increase in craft training capacity in Education and Training Boards to date in 2024, increasing from 5,600 places in December 2023 to over 7,500 currently.
Adding to 25 traditional craft programmes, consortia-led apprenticeships has been developed from 2016 onwards in response to emerging occupational profiles, and are providing employment, career development and a pathway to a recognised qualification for apprentices across 50 plus occupations. This year has seen the first registrations in the Advanced Quantity Surveyor Apprenticeship (Level 9).
A further 23 national apprenticeship programmes are in development, with 9 being relevant to the Construction sector. These include apprenticeships in Civil Engineering (Levels 8 & 9), Geospatial Survey Technician (L6) and Roofing and Cladding.
Under Springboard+ 2023/2024, there are 2,100 people enrolled in construction related courses with 1,125 of these having completed their course to date this year. Graduate figures for construction under Springboard+2022/2023 show 1,945 graduates for the academic year 2022/2023.Under HCI Pillar 1 2023/2024 (Full-Time Graduate Conversion Courses) current figures show 210 students have completed construction related courses, with total figures of completed construction related courses at 387 for HCI Pillar 1 2022/2023.The Human Capital Initiative (HCI) has a strong focus on innovation and agility, ensuring the education system as a whole, are in a position to respond positively to the challenges and opportunities ahead. HCI Pillar 3 promotes innovative and responsive models of programme delivery, and will enable the higher education system to respond rapidly to changes in both skills requirements and technology in the construction sector. These were 87 courses in construction and construction related areas introduced to date as a result of HCI P3.Under the Micro-Credentials Learner Fee Subsidy, which was launched in March 2024 and subsidises fees for 13,763 learners across 650 micro-credential courses, there are 56 courses in construction and construction related areas offering 905 places for 2024.
In addition, Skillnet Ireland – the workforce development agency – provides training and development solutions specifically for the sector through its construction related networks. Industry 4.0 Skillnet and University of Galway recently launched two cutting-edge programmes designed to meet the evolving needs of the sector.
The Level 9 Postgraduate Certificate in Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and the Level 8 Specialist Diploma in Automation and Control aim to equip current and future construction professionals with the skills and knowledge required to drive innovation and sustainability in the industry. Both programmes will equip students with modern methods of construction skills in a number of areas for new builds and retrofits.
This provision will be further enhanced following the publication last July of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs MMC recommendations. My Department is leading on the development of a corresponding action plan, which will include the development of new carer pathways and other training.
Collectively, the measures outlined above are playing a very important role in responding to the skills requirements of industry.
647. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the individual areas in the academic or technical sectors showing the greatest requirement in respect of graduates; the extent to which he and his Department continue to respond to this need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40297/24]
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).
648. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her priorities for town regeneration; the initiatives she is taking to support town renewal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39667/24]
View answerLaunched in 2022, the Town Centre First (TCF) Policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. It supports the Our Rural Future vision for a thriving rural Ireland.
The TCF policy, a joint initiative by my Department and the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), encourages innovative proposals for the reuse of vacant and underused residential and other buildings in town centres.
Significant progress has been made since the launch of the Policy towards establishing momentum in achieving its objectives. For example, the establishment of a National TCF Office within the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) which drives the actions under the policy; the appointment of 26 Town Regeneration Officers in each local authority (funded by my Department) which work as central drivers of TCF at a local level; and the establishment of a National Oversight and Advisory Group, which oversees delivery of the TCF policy are important developments in this regard.
In December 2021, I announced €2.6 million in funding to support the development of 26 TCF Plans. These community-based plans are produced by individual Town Teams, drawn from local community and business representatives, that are helping communities develop a vision for their town and identify viable projects to realise that vision. These Town Plans can be viewed on the TCF website at www.towncentrefirst.ie.
In February last, I launched a new TCF suite of supports which is providing an additional €4.5 million to support broader efforts to regenerate town centres through a bottom-up approach. The measures supported the development of a further 26 town plans, the establishment and development of ‘Town Teams’ nationwide, and funding local authorities through the Project Development Measure (PDM) to initiate and fully scope key infrastructure in the areas. All successful projects and towns supported under the TCF suite of supports are available to view on the following link on Gov.ie: www.gov.ie/en/publication/473d3-town-centre-first-policy/. This funding is also supporting the establishment of a further 68 Town Teams nationwide.
As can be seen from the 33 actions contained within the TCF policy, the significance of Town Centre First is that it intended to provide for an integrated policy approach for the development of Irish towns rather than it being a funded programme in and of itself. Central to the success of TCF is the range of support funding in place right across Government, including my Department’s Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) and Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS). Both schemes have already delivered landmark projects across rural Ireland which tackle issues of vacancy and dereliction - examples of recent funding announcements include the €164m announced for 30 regeneration projects under the RRDF in May, and the €20m allocated to projects under the TVRS in April.
649. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the cumulative funding provided under the connected hubs scheme for County Wicklow in 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024, in tabular form. [39703/24]
View answerOur Rural Future recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by the end of 2025. There are currently 367 remote and co-working facilities across the country on-boarded to the platform, including 8 in Co. Wicklow. Details of all the onboarded hubs are available on www.connectedhubs.ie.
My Department has invested significantly in the establishment and development of hubs through the range of schemes which make up my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. This includes funding the development of new hubs under schemes such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.
In 2021 and 2022 I implemented a new targeted scheme to support the development of facilities in hubs across Ireland. Almost €14 million in funding to some 200 projects was allocated via these 'Connected Hub Calls'. In 2021 €132,600 was allocated in Wicklow from this fund, with €71,545 allocated under the 2022 call. The types of facilities developed under this Fund included the provision of additional desk space, privacy booths, technical equipment, meeting facilities and access control.
I am committed to ensuring that the Connected Hubs Network will continue to make a central contribution to the achievement of the Government's vision for rural Ireland, as set out in Our Rural Future.
