Written Answers Nos. 712-733
715. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health in view of 20,000 clinical genetic tests being sent to laboratories abroad, if she will clarify the way in which patient data is handled by each laboratory provider, in the interests of transparency and good governance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53935/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
718. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of people on the speech and language therapy initial treatment waiting list and within that the numbers waiting less than 4 months; the number waiting 4-12 months; and the number waiting more than 12 months; and if he would indicate also for each category the numbers waiting aged 0-17 years and those aged 18 and above for each local health area as of 1st October 2025 or latest date available, in tabular form. [53965/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
719. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health the number of people on the speech and language therapy assessment waiting list and within that the numbers waiting less than 4 months for each local health area as of 1st October 2025 or latest date available; the number waiting 4-12 months, more than 12 months; and if she would indicate also for each category the numbers waiting aged 0-17 years and those aged 18 and above, in tabular form. [53966/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
720. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to address the rise in unregulated hairdressing services operating from homes and informal settings, in view of the impact on legitimate businesses and loss of revenue to the State; if he will consider introducing regulation and formal apprenticeship schemes for the hairdressing industry to ensure proper training, certification and oversight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53840/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraA national Hairdressing apprenticeship programme has been successfully operating since 2019. It is a three-year programme on Level 6 of the NFQ that delivers a nationally recognised standard that is responsive to the needs of industry, designed through engagement with industry and education partners.
As of end-September 2025, there are 622 individuals undertaking the national Hairdressing apprenticeship programme. A total of 115 individuals have registered for this apprenticeship programme in 2025 to end-September.
This apprenticeship is available across the country, with training for this apprenticeship being offered by 13 of Ireland’s 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs), as listed below:
• Cavan and Monaghan ETB
• City of Dublin ETB
• Cork ETB
• Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB
• Galway and Roscommon ETB
• Kerry ETB
• Kildare and Wicklow ETB
• Laois and Offaly ETB
• Limerick and Clare ETB
• Louth and Meath ETB
• Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB
• Tipperary ETB
• Waterford and Wexford ETB
Limerick and Clare ETB (LCETB) are the co-ordinating provider for this apprenticeship, which means it is the lead organisation responsible for the development, quality assurance and overall management of the programme. As co-ordinating provider, LCETB is accountable for maintaining the curriculum, liaising with employers and stakeholders such as SOLAS and Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), and ensuring the programme meets national quality and regulatory standards.
The other 12 ETBs offering training for this apprenticeship are collaborative providers, which means they are responsible for the delivery of the apprenticeship programme in their own institution.
721. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to confirm that permission is required to use the words “campus” or “college” in the name of a business; the cost to apply for such permission; the information required to apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52945/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraPermission is not required to use the words 'campus' or 'college' in the name of a business. As noted in guidance provided by the Companies Registration Office, only the terms “University” and “Institute of Technology” or “Regional Technical College” cannot be used unless permission has been sought from and granted by my Department. As such, no application needs to be made to my Department to use 'campus' or 'college' in the name of a business.
722. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students from the Twenty-six Counties who applied to universities and colleges in the North of Ireland, by county, per year between 2020 and 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53054/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not record data on the number of students from Ireland who have applied to universities and colleges in the north of Ireland.
However, my officials have accessed publicly available data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency in the UK. (www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students) The table below shows the number of students from Ireland who are studying in Northern Ireland from 2020 until 2024.
This data includes both fulltime and part-time students enrolled in Postgraduate research and Postgraduate taught degrees as well as all undergraduate degrees.
|
Academic Year |
Number of Students |
|
2020-2021 |
2170 |
|
2021-2022 |
2290 |
|
2022-2023 |
2765 |
|
2023-2024 |
3355 |
The data for the academic years 2024-25 and 2025-26 are not yet available.
723. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on plans to align CAO and UCAS results dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53055/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Central Applications Office (CAO) is a not-for-profit company created by the Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It processes applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on the behalf of HEIs. Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. The processing and issuing of Round 1 CAO offers is contingent on the availability of Leaving Certificate results. However, my Department does not have a role in the operation of the CAO, or the determination of offer dates.
724. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline progress toward allowing the creation of professorships in the Technological Universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53077/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy officials in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science have been working to progress reform of academic staffing structures in TUs since their establishment under the TU Act, 2018, in the main following recommendations of the TURN Report (2019) and OECD (2022) and initially focusing on professorial grades.
The academic grades currently in operation in the TU Sector, have been transferred from IoTs and are not suitable for a university and as such hinder the potential of TUs to realise their full potential within the university sector. In particular, the absence of professorial grades in TUs undermines their mission, competitiveness, and ability to attract talent (for example through the current Global Talent Initiative) and funding, in that research funding is primarily awarded to research performing organisations. From both an educational and research perspective, it is critical that Technological Universities can retain and attract talent and compete with the traditional universities.
As the Deputy will be aware this is a Programme for Government commitment, and there is strong support across government at the highest levels to introduce professorial grades in the shortest possible time frame.
As Minister I, and my officials, have engaged extensively on this matter, including with the Minister of Public Expenditure and Reform and my Department is currently awaiting a response from DPER on a proposal to introduce this grade without further delay.
725. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline progress on the construction of new on-campus student accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53078/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFor the first time, the State is investing in student accommodation to help address the sector’s viability and housing shortage. Under my Department's Short-Term Activation Programme (STAP) €100 million in capital funding has been approved to support stalled university accommodation projects.
I officially opened Maynooth University’s 116-bed project on the 8th of September, with these beds available to students for the current academic year.
On the 5th of September, I announced the allocation of €67 million in state funding under the STAP to enable University College Dublin to enter contract for the delivery of 493 new student accommodation beds.
In addition, my Department is developing the new student accommodation strategy which is due for completion in Q4 this year. The strategy will aim to enable viability measures to increase the supply of student accommodation and to provide measures to address affordability for students facing the greatest socioeconomic challenges.
726. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); if consideration has been given to recognising other proof of residence for fee status classification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53145/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe higher education tuition fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety of factors including the type of course and the student's access route. The assessment of a student’s application and the determination of the appropriate fee rate is a function of the institution attended.
There are typically two rates of fee, an EU Rate or a non-EU fee rate. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs. This includes the criteria regarding the residency requirements a person must meet to be regarded as an EU or a Non-EU tuition fee student within the relevant institution's own tuition fee policies.
The criteria may vary by institution and I understand that an institution’s criteria will generally include specified nationality and/or residency requirements that students would be expected to meet to qualify for the EU rate of fee. My department does not have a role in prescribing the forms of proof of residency that an institution may accept.
As the Deputy will appreciate, it is not possible for my Department to intervene in the fee policy of any autonomous institution. Where a student has a query in relation to an institution's fee policy, they should contact the institution directly for advice appropriate to their own individual circumstances. Direct engagement will offer students an opportunity to understand the determination of the institution and provide a basis for the student to provide additional information to the institution as appropriate to assist the institution in determining the appropriate fee rate.
727. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to ensure international students on stamp 3 visas can access SUSI supports to continue their studies here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53198/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra752. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plan to ensure that people living here on stamp 3 visas can access SUSI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53588/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 727 and 752 together.
Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, a student must be ordinarily resident in Ireland or an EU/EEA/Swiss/UK for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course.
Where undergraduate 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. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and therefore the criteria governing the level of fee payable by students (EU or non-EU) is a matter for the relevant institution to determine in line with its own criteria.
The nationality criteria for the Student Grant Scheme are set out in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations 2025. An applicant's nationality or his/her immigration status in the State determines whether or not he/she meets the nationality requirement outlined in the Act and Regulations. Further information in relation to the nationality requirements are available from SUSI's website: susi.ie/nationality-criteria/
Permission to remain in the State on the basis of a Stamp 3 Visa does not meet the nationality requirements of the Student Grant Scheme 2025. However, article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2025 provides for a review of eligibility for the award of a grant in the event of a change of circumstances in the academic year, including a change in relation to a student's nationality or immigration status. Where a student acquires Irish citizenship by naturalisation or is granted one of the permissions to remain criterion provided for in the Act or Regulations during the course of their studies, he/she may apply to SUSI to have his/her application re-assessed.
My Department continues to liaise on an ongoing basis with officials in the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration on the various categories of immigration status in the context of student grant eligibility.
The Deputy will appreciate that the funding allocation for additional student finances is determined in the context of the overall estimates and budgetary process undertaken by all Government Departments. All proposals made in relation to further student expenditure can only be considered in the context of the budgetary allocation, having regard to overall resource constraints and other competing demands in the further and higher education sector.
728. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of stakeholder submissions received by his Department as a result of the stakeholder consultation on amendments to the National Training Fund; and the names of stakeholders who were invited to participate in this consultation. [53326/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to thank the Deputy for her question. My Department published the number of stakeholder submissions including names in the Regulatory Impact Assessment report on its website on 17 June.
The following stakeholders were consulted:
• The National Skills Council (and their member organisations)
• The High Level Skills Implementation Group (and their member organisations)
• Chambers Ireland
• The American Chamber of Commerce
Eight responses were received from the following stakeholders:
• Chambers Ireland
• Enterprise Ireland
• Higher Education Authority (HEA)
• Higher Education Colleges Association (HECA)
• Industrial Development Authority (IDA)
• Irish Universities Association (IUA)
• National Skills Council
• Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)
729. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of SUSI applications received each year for the past three years; and the number of applications which were successful. [53327/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe principal support provided by my Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the terms of the Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to 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 Scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the national student grant awarding authority, Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), which operates as a business unit of City of Dublin ETB.
I can confirm that the number of applications received and awards made under the Student Grant Scheme in each of the past three academic years is as follows:
• 2023/2024 academic year, 104,224 applications were received, 83,508 were awarded and 78,363 were paid.
• 2024/2025 academic year, 101,695 applications were received, 81,711 were awarded and 76,885 were paid.
• 2025/2026 academic year (to date), 104,071 applications have been received, 76,717 have been awarded. Of these, 37,476 have received a maintenance payment as of 2nd October 2025, and a further 25,658 are fee-only awards. Reconciliation of fees takes place in April/May each year.
All figures are as of 2nd October 2025. The data for the 2025/2026 academic year is subject to change as processing of applications continues.
730. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the establishment of a national skills observatory as per recommendations made by the National Skills Council. [53328/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI, and my Department, welcome the recommendation from the National Skills Council for the establishment of a National Skills Observatory (NSO).
The OECD’s report on Ireland’s Skills Strategy (2023) provides a clear evidence base for the establishment of a NSO to enable a more coherent approach to the collation, use, and dissemination of skills and labour market data across the entire skills ecosystem.
The establishment of a NSO would be transformative in our national skills intelligence landscape and is expected to deliver significant benefits, including:
• Enhanced policy decision-making, providing evidence-based insights to inform education, employment, and economic policies.
• Improved workforce planning, assisting employers and training providers in aligning skills supply with industry demands.
• Greater economic competitiveness in ensuring Ireland’s workforce remains agile and responsive to evolving market needs.
• Lifelong learning and workforce reskilling supporting continuous professional development (CPD) initiatives aligned with labour market needs.
• Collaboration to facilitate evidence-based policymaking through regular dialogue with government, industry stakeholders, and education and training providers.
• Balanced regional development in developing region-specific skills intelligence to support balanced economic development.
• Stronger international positioning, aligning Ireland’s skills intelligence capabilities with leading global standards.
• Increased public engagement - offering accessible labour market data to help individuals make informed career and education choices.
• The advancement of national and EU priorities.
Officials in my Department are working on progressing the concept.
731. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) who has appealed the decision regarding their SUSI grant to the Student Appeal Board; if he will provide an update on the status of this appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53442/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe student referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal to the Independent Student Grant Appeals Board (the Board) on the 15th September 2025.
This is due to be considered by the Board on or before the 14th November 2025. The determination of the Board will be communicated directly to the student.
732. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress of the expansion of apprenticeships since the publication of the action plan on apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53505/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere has been a strong and sustained commitment to apprenticeships demonstrated by government. Since the formation of my department and the subsequent publication of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025, investment in apprenticeship training has increased by 85%, from €184 million in 2020 to €339 million in 2025.
This investment has supported strong employer demand in apprenticeships as well as a 51% increase in annual registrations on apprenticeship programmes from 6,177 in 2019 to 9,352 in 2024, setting a strong base for reaching the target of 10,000 annual apprentice registrations by the end of 2025.
This investment has also supported a 34% growth in the number of apprenticeship programmes available from 58 to 78. There are now 25 craft apprenticeship programmes and 53 consortia-led programmes designed to serve industry needs across multiple sectors such as construction, ICT, hospitality, health, and social care - supporting Ireland both economically and socially.
In 2024, four new apprenticeships were launched across the private and public sectors: a Level 8 (National Framework of Qualifications) in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, a Level 6 Civil Service Digital Marketing programme, a Level 9 public sector Social Work programme, and a Level 9 Software Solutions programme.
Most recently, a new Accounting Technologist apprenticeship began running in mid-September 2025. Work is ongoing to expand apprenticeship options further, with new programmes in development in areas such as planning, beauty, business, and robotics.
The development of new apprenticeships follows a structured 10-step process overseen by the National Apprenticeship Office. These programmes are proposed by industry-led groups, backed by solid evidence of significant skills needs and practical employer engagement.
Expanding apprenticeship courses offers a fast-track route to employment, providing valuable qualifications, including in professions that were previously accessible only through university.
This "earn while you learn" model in emerging skills areas enhances both affordability and accessibility, particularly for a diverse learner population. The growing number of programmes highlights the increasing popularity of apprenticeships as a pathway to training and qualification through employment.
733. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the target of 10,000 annual apprenticeship registrations by the end of 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53506/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraInvestment in the apprenticeship system has been significant since my department was formed in 2020. To ensure an adequate pipeline of skilled apprentices to support government targets on housing and infrastructure development, €77 million was invested in the apprenticeship system in Budget 2025, bringing the total current budget for apprenticeship to €339 million. This represents a significant increase of 84% in apprenticeship funding since 2020.
Annual apprenticeship registrations have grown strongly in recent years from 6,177 in 2019 to 9,352 in 2024. This 51% increase provides a strong foundation for achieving the target of 10,000 annual apprentice registrations by the end of 2025.
As of September this year, there have been 6,676 apprenticeship registrations. It should be noted that in 2024 the last four months of the year were the strongest period for apprenticeship registrations - 45% of all registrations for the year took place in this period.
A key goal set out in the Apprenticeship Action Plan 2021-2025 is for apprenticeship to be recognised and valued by employers in every sector of Ireland’s economy as a key route to recruiting a highly skilled workforce. At present, there is a total of 78 national apprenticeship programmes, 25 of which are Craft Apprenticeships and 53 of which are Consortia-Led programmes. These 78 apprenticeships cover a diverse assortment of career paths, ranging from Cybersecurity to Hairdressing.
It is my department’s and this government's priority to continue to invest in apprenticeships, with a target of 12,500 annual registrations by 2030.
