Eoghan Kenny

I move: That Dáil Éireann: notes that: — research by the Economic and Social Research Institute and the University of Limerick from a survey of more than 720 post-primary schools showed that more than three in ten mandated the purchase of digital devices, including 17 per cent of Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS), and that there is a risk of growing inequalities in the educat…

To finish the debate, I thank all Deputies across the House for their contributions. I am quite surprised by the contributions from some Deputies in Sinn Féin, which holds the finance Ministry in the North of Ireland, where there is currently a €700 million shortfall in the Department of Education.

Sinn Féin Deputies come in here and have a go at the Labour Party for something that happened 15 years ago, when I was in primary school and 11 years old.

It is quite interesting. I am not sure where their priorities lie in providing solutions.

The priorities lie in this motion. Instead they come in here and have a go off the Labour Party - no problem at all.

No, not at all.

Sinn Féin should get back to the priorities in this motion. The Minister in her speech referred on a number of occasions to encouraging schools: I encourage schools to consider how existing ICT supports and funding could be used to meet students' needs before any expectation was placed on parents ... Using the words "encourage schools" is extremely blasé in that it does not pay for digital devi…

I raise the issue of the lack of a plan for a new public sector pay deal and the lack of engagement on this matter. SIPTU, Fórsa, Unite and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, are now to ballot their members for industrial action, up to and including strike action. The public sector pay deal expired on 30 June and formal talks have yet to begin on a successor agreement. We are in the…

There is a question in my name, but Deputy McGettigan's question is the next to be taken.

84. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way in which apprenticeship provision to the higher education sector is funded; and whether his Department expects the funding in question will be used to increase administrative and support staffing in line with the growth in apprentice numbers and the recruitment of additional lectur…

There is a positive aspect to this question. In the context of the way in which apprenticeship provision is funded through his Department, does the Minister expect the funding in question to be used to increase administrative and support staffing in line with the growth in apprenticeship numbers, for the recruitment of additional lecturing staff, technicians, and heads of trades, given that some i…

That is appreciated. Institutions have come to me directly to say that, although they understand that they are the ones that deploy staff to the busiest departments of their institutions, they feel that there is not enough funding coming to them to do so, given the increase in apprenticeships in all of their institutions. While I thank the Minister for giving me the opportunity to focus on one pa…

I am sure that the Minister is aware of this but I want to put it on the record. The figure of 72% came to me through Munster Technological University, MTU, in Tralee, which the Minister is very familiar with and has visited. It is important to put that on the record, but it is also important to outline the broader aspect of it. We hear a great deal about the need to build more homes, deliver majo…

88. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science given the growth in apprenticeships in Ireland if he is considering plans to introduce a CAO-type application process to secure an apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50207/26]

As I have mentioned already during these questions, given the growth in apprenticeships in Ireland, is the Department considering plans to introduce a CAO style type of application process to secure an apprenticeship? We all know there is a significant number of people who are waiting and trying to get an apprenticeship and trying to get a company to take them on for their apprenticeship. There is…

In relation to apprenticeship.ie, I ask the Department to promote this more strongly and more to career guidance teachers in our secondary schools who are probably aware of it but I am not necessarily sure how many parents or young people are aware of apprenticeship.ie. It is a simple fix. It probably would not need a lot of funding to promote that. The main focus of the question is on the fact th…

I am willing to work with the Minister on this. Our objective should be to remove barriers and not create them. If Ireland is to meet its future skills need, we must make apprenticeships as visible, accessible and attractive as every other education pathway. I welcome the Minister's views. This CAO style application system for apprenticeships is not going to happen overnight but that is the ambiti…

98. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on his discussions with the European Research Council in relation to the multi-annual funding framework for science; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50208/26]

Will the Minister give an update on his discussions with the European Research Council, ERC, in relation to the multi-annual funding framework for science? Ireland has built an international reputation for excellence in scientific research. Our universities and research institutions consistently compete successfully for European funding and Irish researchers have made significant contributions in …

Yes.

I thank the Minister. The EU Presidency obviously gives us a greater opportunity to work with our European counterparts and, as the Minister is the honest broker chairing that, it is essential that we gain significant experience from the amount that we can invest in scientific research. It would probably be remiss of me not to mention University College Cork in my county, which does a significant…

On the broader aspect to this, we invest significantly in educating talented scientists. We must ensure that, having provided funding to educate these talented scientists, we do not put them in the position where they feel they must leave Ireland because they cannot see a stable research career here. I do not have statistics on that but if we are going to engage with and fund young people to becom…

107. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has met with an organisation (details supplied) regarding gaps in higher education funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50206/26]

Has the Minister met with the Irish Universities Association regarding gaps in higher education funding?

The request from the Irish Universities Association is for €250 million over the next five years in capital spending to upgrade digital infrastructure in the seven universities, and €475 million over four years in capital spending to decarbonise universities and create fully sustainable campuses. We regularly hear about Ireland's ambition to be a global leader in innovation, research and skills. …