Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 October 2024
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]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt 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.
