Written Answers Nos. 1085-1095
1085. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to urgently intervene in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4188/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of clinical placements is a matter arranged by individual Higher Education Institutions and the HSE and other healthcare providers. My Department does not have a direct role in the provision of placements. In the case of social work training, both the HSE and Tusla provide clinical placements, as required by the regulator CORU. These agencies also provide the professional staff to support students while on placement. In relation to the Health and Social Care Professions, the HSE is required to facilitate practice education under Section 7 (4) the Health Act 2004.
Providers of health and social care training programmes have reported significant challenges in securing guaranteed clinical placements required for their students. This has been a critical issue for the expansion of student places on these programmes. Mandatory clinical placement hours are a requirement for entry to practice programmes, without which Health and Social Care Profession students cannot complete their programmes, graduate and join the workforce. My officials are actively engaging with the Department of Health and the HSE on determining the medium and long term skills needs of the healthcare services, and supporting the identification of clinical support needs by those relevant bodies and the role which the further and higher education sector can play in meeting those skills needs. Ensuring all students have access to their required clinical placements continues to form a critical part of these engagements. Where additional places in health and social care disciplines are created Department of Health and HSE are engaging to ensure that corresponding placements are made available. My Department will continue to engage with all stakeholders to ensure that we deliver graduates with the skills necessary to support our health and social care system and support the strategic workforce planning by the health and social care sector.
1086. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason there is no 2026 springboard courses available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4216/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Springboard+ 2026 courses are not currently available because Springboard+ 2026 has not yet been launched. It is expected that details of Springboard+ 2026 courses will be available in late spring/early summer 2026. A new funding Call for Proposals for Springboard+ 2025 was run in 2025. This was officially launched in May 2025. There were 249 courses available under Springboard+ 2025 for the academic year 2025/26, the majority of which were flexible and part-time. Applications for Springboard+ 2025 are now closed. Courses funded under Springboard+ 2025 were approved for renewal for two subsequent years, contingent on continued funding and satisfactory course performance, including achieving at least a 75% fill rate.
1087. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the supports available for students undertaking part time higher and further education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4219/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Student Part-Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses was introduced for the first time in September 2024 to provide fee support to eligible part-time students attending specified publicly funded undergraduate courses leading to a major award. The Student Part-Time Fee Scheme for the 26/27 scheme is currently being drafted and when finalised it will outline courses which are approved for funding in 26/27. SUSI administer the Part-Time Scheme on behalf of the Department. The Scheme generally opens for new applications in April and further details of how to apply for approved courses will be available on their website. The Scheme applies to both in-person and blended/hybrid courses and was developed with the aim of providing support for more flexible forms of learning to students who are considered underrepresented in Higher Education (lone parents, carers, people with a disability etc.).There are also supports for Part-Time learners outside of the Part-Time Scheme. Springboard+ is co funded by the Government and the European Union. It was established in 2011 and continues to play a vital role in expanding access to higher education by offering flexible, work focused learning opportunities to adult learners across the country. Aligned with national skills priorities, Springboard+ supports individuals to upskill or reskill in high-demand areas such as ICT, cybersecurity and sustainability. The programme continues to evolve, with the inclusion of micro-credentials in 2025, providing additional flexible targeted learning aligned with industry needs. Springboard+ is free or heavily subsidised and offered in a flexible format (part-time, blended, and online) making higher education more accessible to all. In addition to Springboard+, Further Education and Training (FET) is available on a part-time basis, including on evenings and weekends. FET is available in every community in Ireland and courses are either free or heavily subsidised. There are also non-financial supports in FET, aimed at supporting access for diverse learner groups. For example, there is a dedicated Adult Education Guidance and Information Service in each Education and Training Board (ETB). ETBs deliver courses in a variety of formats, including part-time, so that learners can undertake courses and acquire certification at their own pace, around their work, family and other commitments and needs.The Department is committed to supporting flexible forms of learning and will keep the policies surrounding support for part-time students under review. However, any future expansion of the parameters of support 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.
1088. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of Irish-based community media and community-led media organisations that have been successful applicants under the Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe programmes in each of the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025; the total value of funding awarded to such organisations under each programme in each of those years; and to outline any observable trends in participation or success rates, including any changes in programme priorities or application volumes, in tabular form. [4294/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not hold records relating to applications under the Erasmus+ programme. These are managed by Leargas who act as the legal entity for administering the Erasmus and ESC programmes. My Department has notified Leargas of the Deputy's request and asked them to respond directly to the Deputy in due course.Given Horizon Europe’s research and innovation focus, organisations of this type are not observably represented within the programme. Organisations primarily engaged in service delivery, implementation, or operational activities, without a strong R&I component, are therefore neither specified nor categorised in Horizon Europe data.
1089. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of people currently availing of training apprenticeships, by apprenticeship programme; the number of people currently eligible to undertake the next stage of their apprenticeship who are not currently in an apprenticeship programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4365/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn Budget 2026, I secured a €79 million investment to expand apprenticeship delivery. This brings total current investment in apprenticeships to more than €410 million — an increase of over 120% since 2020, the year in which my Department was established.Supported by this investment, the number of people doing apprenticeships has increased significantly in recent years, with the apprentice population increasing by 59% from 19,630 at the end of 2020 to 31,165 at the end of December 2025. The attached table gives a breakdown of this figure by apprenticeship programme, including all craft and consortia apprenticeship programmes. In the national apprenticeship system, apprentices must be actively registered and engaged in their programme in order to progress to the next stage. They must also have met all the required criteria for their current or previous phase, such as gaining the necessary on-the-job experience and/or passing the relevant assessments or examinations. Therefore, all apprentices who are eligible to progress to the next stage of their programme are, by definition, already registered on an apprenticeship. If an apprentice has previously completed part of their apprenticeship but is no longer actively engaged in the programme and wishes to return to complete it, they should contact the Training Advisor at the ETB where they previously attended, for guidance on next steps. Alternatively, they may contact the National Apprenticeship Office.
1090. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the funding allocated under his Department’s programmes and schemes, by county for each year 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3321/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is committed to supporting thriving communities across the country through a range of funding initiatives. To this end, more than €2.3 billion in funding has been approved for thousands of projects from 2020 to 2025 all over the country. Details of the funding allocations my Department has provided each year, across the country, are available on my Department’s website, in tabular form at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-rural-and-community-development-and-the-gaeltacht/collections/funding-allocated-by-the-department/. The Deputy will be pleased to note some examples of the projects supported in his Clare constituency include –
• €8.7 million under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) for Scarriff to include the renovation of an existing vacant derelict building as community and enterprise hub and the enhancement of Market Square.
• €4.29 million for the Old Rectory - Inis Cealtra Visitor Experience, also under the RRDF
• €290,000 under the Community Recognition Fund for the upgrade of Kilkee Waterworld.
• €100,000 for Quin Community Centre under the Community Centre Investment Fund. The range of schemes operated by my Department are providing significant investment in rural development and for community infrastructure across the country. I look forward to continued investment in projects throughout the country in 2026.
1091. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the position regarding a scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3583/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) provides for the upgrade of non-public rural roads and laneways that are typically not maintained by local authorities. It was re-introduced by my Department in 2017. Since then, almost €184 million has been allocated to local authorities for LIS.
Since 2017, Kerry has been allocated a total of €11.56 million in LIS funding. This figure includes the allocation of €2.23 million for 2025. While the Department provides funding for the scheme, it is managed by local authorities, which are responsible for selecting and prioritising roads. This includes handling applications, prioritising eligible roads, scheduling works, and maintaining waiting lists.The Programme for Government commits to providing additional funding for the LIS. €17 million in LIS funding was secured as part of Budget 2026. This marks an increase in the Scheme's base allocation compared to previous years. My Department officials are in the process of reviewing the scheme. Details of the 2026 scheme, including county allocations and the scheme outline, will be circulated to local authorities and published on the Department's website as soon as these are finalised.
1092. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to list the roles within public or semi-State organisations under his Department that are excluded from the single public service pension scheme; the number of people employed in those roles, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3624/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMembership to the Single Public Service Pension Scheme is determined by assessing the eligibility of employees against the provisions of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. There are no exclusions for eligible staff within our agencies.I would note, however, that due to the particular status of Pobal they have their own pension arrangements, and none of the 799 staff within that organisation are eligible to become members of the Single Pension Scheme. Similarly, due to their status as north-south implementation bodies, both Foras na Gaeilge (68 staff) and the Ulster Scots Agency (16 staff) have north-south pension scheme arrangements, and their staff are also not eligible to become members of the Single Pension Scheme.
1093. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an up-to-date contact list for queries from Oireachtas members to agencies under his Department, in tabular form. [3878/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are eight agencies under the remit of my Department and the contact details for Oireachtas members for each agency are set out below.
|
Organisation |
Email address |
Phone Number |
|
Pobal |
01 5117000 |
|
|
Western Development Commission (WDC) |
|
094 9861441 |
|
Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA) |
01 6331500 |
|
|
Water Safety Ireland (WSI) |
091 564400 |
|
|
Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga |
091 504006 |
|
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta |
091 503170 |
|
|
Foras na Gaeilge |
01 6398400 |
|
|
Ulster-Scots Agency |
074 917 3876 |
1094. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update on the progress in publishing the next rural development policy plan; the estimated timeframe for its release; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4165/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince its launch in 2021, Our Rural Future 2021 - 2025 has delivered vital investment and supports, strengthened local economies, and improved quality of life across rural Ireland. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to publish and implement a new Our Rural Future, and the process of developing this successor policy is well advanced.An extensive process of consultation has taken place which has gathered the views of stakeholders and communities across the country on what matters most for rural Ireland and its people.This consultation has included an online public survey, a series of eight stakeholder and public events across the country and online, and an open call for written submissions. The Rural Youth Assembly has also been consulted, ensuring that the voices of young people are fully considered in the policy development process. Bilateral meetings with key stakeholders, representative groups, and public bodies have also taken place.Informed by these engagements, my officials are currently working with Departments across Government on the new Our Rural Future, with a particular focus on the development of meaningful and ambitious actions for delivery under the new policy.I am confident that the resulting commitments within the new Our Rural Future will demonstrate Government's support for rural Ireland and I look forward to publishing the new policy in the coming months.
1095. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if CLÁR funding can be drawn down by rural communities to help pay for the extension of a graveyard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4301/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe CLAR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. The measures for inclusion in the scheme are reviewed and revised each year. The next iteration of the scheme is currently under review and it is expected to be launched in the coming months. Details in respect of the activities that will be eligible for funding will be confirmed at that stage. The deputy may also wish to be aware that under the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Acts, 1878 to 2001, local authorities are deemed to be burial boards for their respective functional areas. Acting in their capacity as burial boards, local authorities are responsible for the management, regulation and control of burial grounds in their functional areas. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, through local authorities, supports a “Burial Grounds Maintenance Community Grant”, that provides financial support to voluntary groups who are maintaining their local graveyard or burial grounds. The grant can be used towards the cost of maintenance and upkeep of these sites.
