First of all, to take the Dundalk Institute of Technology and Queen's University Belfast partnership, that partnership under development is a hugely significant initiative, as I am sure the Deputy will agree, and advances the Government's goal, not only of balanced regional development, although it very much does in creating a university now on that north-east corridor between Dublin and Belfast, but by creating the …
TDs / James Lawless
James Lawless
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
30
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
114,588
words spoken in the chamber
114,547 as a minister, 41 as a TD
360
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
19
topics asked about
Across 11 departments
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
What they ask about
The subject headings the Oireachtas filed their questions under.
Who they ask
The departments their questions were addressed to.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Questions asked 30 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 440 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 13 | 2 |
| February 2025 | 8 | 9 |
| March 2025 | 3 | 54 |
| April 2025 | 0 | 15 |
| May 2025 | 0 | 35 |
| June 2025 | 0 | 9 |
| July 2025 | 2 | 60 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| October 2025 | 0 | 44 |
| November 2025 | 0 | 1 |
| December 2025 | 0 | 44 |
| January 2026 | 0 | 40 |
| February 2026 | 1 | 1 |
| March 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| April 2026 | 2 | 39 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 42 |
| June 2026 | 0 | 1 |
| July 2026 | 0 | 40 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 1 | 0 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 4 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 379 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
Not enough questions on record to compare.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Kildare North 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science 23 January 2025 to now
Taking the Deputy's questions in reverse order, I will deal with the TUI in the first instance. The manner of the announcement was sensitive and was a case of jumping together. The executive of Dundalk IT, the board of Queen's University and, indeed, Cabinet here considered the matter on the same morning at the same time, and having come to a shared conclusion, we were then in a position to announce. I hope the Deput…
The Technological Universities, TU, Act is predicated on the creation of technological universities through the amalgamation of institutes of technology and by ITs coming together to form a technological university. That is the framework that is provided for in the current TU Act. The Act does not currently have a mechanism for the elevation of a single IT to become a university. That process is not catered for withi…
The student grant scheme operated by Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, provides maintenance grants to eligible undergraduate students pursuing approved courses in other EU member states provided, of course, that they qualify for a SUSI grant at home in the first instance. A qualifying student can take that grant with them if they are pursuing a course of study abroad within the EU.
In general, the rules of th…
I see the point and the scenario the Deputy described and I am sure these talented young people have great opportunities available to them in certain specialist centres of education outside the State. It is unfortunate that specialist area of training is not available in the State at present. There are institutes such as the Royal Irish Academy of Music and a number of different dance and music courses are available …
There is a case to be made for sponsoring, perhaps to a greater degree than is currently the case, students in the situation the Deputy described. It may be of interest to the Deputy and the House that I have asked my Department to commence preparation of a strategy for the creative arts, on how we support our artistic institutions, including the Institute of Art, Design and Technology, IEDT, the National College of …
The Government is strongly committed to promoting and supporting the Irish language, including in the sphere of further education and training. Education and training boards, ETBs, play a crucial role in this work. ETBs assess demand in their communities for programmes delivered through Irish, including adult and community education, and provide these programmes where needs are identified and it is practicable to do …
B'fhéidir go mbeadh suim ag an Teachta i ngrúpa oibre earnála nua um riachtanas oideachas treasach don Ghaeilge san earnáil phoiblí. Tá an grúpa oibre seo á bhunú ag an Roinn agus an Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta faoi ghnímh 4.3.3 den Phlean Gníomhaíochta do Sheirbhísí Poiblí Gaeilge 2026-2028. Is oifigigh shinsireacha ón dá Roinn, chomh maith le páirtí leasmhara earnála ó Ranna Rialtais ábharth…
I agree with the suggestion about the greater utilisation of Gaelcholáistí and Gaelscoileanna as part of the educational real estate, which could play host to some courses of this nature. That is a good suggestion and one that I will take away with me and consider. I reiterate my Department's commitment to furthering provision of Irish language in this space and across all aspects of the tertiary estate. Tá an Rialta…
I ask the Deputy to repeat that because I have run out of prepared answers. That is fine, I can take a free run but I ask the Deputy to repeat his question.
I would never be so bold as to make a commitment that every applicant will get his or her first choice every time because I am not sure that is something the system has ever achieved. However, 80% of applicants receive their first, second or third choice within the system. The vast majority of students receive a choice within their top three course preferences and that is positive. The traditionally high-point course…
On dentistry, I was pleased to visit the RCSI's new dental hospital in Sandyford recently where a number of new places have been created straight into the system. I met students who are already in first year on that course and they were participating eagerly. I am very aware of the shortages of GPs and the pressure on rural practices as a TD and have seen it myself in my own constituency. One of the benefits of the n…
I sympathise with the plight of people. The Deputy asks what I am doing about that. I am creating more professionals. I am creating more college places and more capacity on those courses that are in demand. I am doing this for two reasons. The first is to enable access for professionals into those courses and the other is to ensure that we have a supply of graduates into the system to provide the services that the De…
I can give a very good answer in a minute or I can give the Deputy an answer off the top of my head right away. I do have any prepared answers left. We are beyond the range of questions that are normally reached.
I am very much aware of that situation. I have met the group with the Deputy in Leinster |House and we have had some good conversations. A disability demonstration project is under way in my Department, the…
There are a number of different ways in which I can assist students with challenges in navigating the educational system. One cohort of such students are those with intellectual disabilities who are engaged in further education and training programmes. I became aware of a lacuna in the system last year when a case was presented to me. There was no transport system available for those students to avail of learning wit…
As I said, I am aware of the issue and am very much engaged with the Deputy and the workers on it. We have had good meetings with them. The Deputy engaged with my predecessor on the matter in a similarly constructive fashion. I thank him for the approach he has taken to it.
While we are talking about the assistance provided through those very diligent workers that the Deputy represents and those to whom he has intro…
I am familiar with the situation. Research Ireland is changing some of the schemes it operates. It is consolidating some schemes. There were a number of different schemes within it, partly arising from the merger of the Irish Research Council to Research Ireland, and there was some duplication of schemes and programmes within that. There has been a consolidation. A new strategy has been adopted by Research Ireland, w…
I would be very concerned if I was to learn, and I invite the Deputy to share details with me if it is happening, of researchers being told they cannot research certain areas and are being directed toward particular areas of research, because academic freedom is a key part of my strategy, the Department's strategy and Research Ireland's strategy. It is also the case that I have promoted education as a public good and…
The Deputy obviously did not hear me on David McCullagh's show two weeks ago when I extolled the virtues of an artistic education, an arts degree and the humanities more widely.
It is something I have been saying for ten years. The Deputy and I have joined in common cause on that in this House before. A point I have made at a number of events I attended, including today, for example, with companies in the technology and digital space, is that we need to produce a wide range of graduates across all disciplines. That is even more the case in the age of AI and digital because the problem-solvin…
I thank Deputy Cummins. I share her high regard for the CTC sector and also for the very similar work Youthreach organisations perform. I have had the privilege of visiting both in my role on a number of different occasions. I attended the Irish Association of Community Training Organisations, IACTO, annual conference. I think it was in Athlone. It was certainly in the midlands. I attended that event, spoke with the …
I completely agree with the Deputy. In terms of the vulnerable cohort of students, part of my political philosophy is to take a progressive approach by giving most support to people who need it most and making targeted interventions. That goes to the heart of the issue, in terms of the learners attending Youthreach, a CTC or an LTI. I have had the privilege of meeting many such learners. In fact, I have a piece of ar…
The Deputy is right. I will give another example of the kind of creative learning that occurs. In the course of maths week this year, I visited Youthreach in Naas in my own constituency where I saw many of the learners being engaged.
Learning in the STEM and technology space was very evident that day. From speaking to tutors and learners, I know there is a range of activities and skills. Down the road, Newbridge CTC…
I am very familiar with the Marino Institute of Education, notwithstanding that it is under the remit of the Department of Education and Youth. I recently visited it with Deputies Brabazon, Heneghan and Ó Muirí. The college serves a vital function in producing primary school teachers. It also has a wonderful ethos in terms of its embrace of an teanga Gaeilge and iománaíocht agus peile. The institute has had a variety…
A number of institutions in the State are perhaps finding they struggle. I am not saying Marino is in this category, but there are some smaller institutions that may find they do not enjoy critical mass and wish to partner with a larger institution. It is one of the reasons the technological universities were created. We had multiple institutes of technology around the country, and joining those together meant the wh…