3336. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science despite an increased investment in SOLAS for the FET sector of 37% since 2020 and with an allocation of over €1 billion in 2025, the reason his Department is making cuts in SOLAS funding by his Department, resulting in contracts for adult educators not being renewed; and if he will make a statement on t…
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
Browse the questions
3,486 questions match, newest first.
3337. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an update on plans for a centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41495/25]
3338. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if all external legal fees incurred by his Department, and by any bodies under its aegis, are charged at negotiated discounted rates; how fees are monitored for compliance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41505/25]
3339. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department conducts regular benchmarking, or market testing, to ensure that the rates paid for legal services, solicitors and barristers, represent value for money for the taxpayer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41523/25]
3340. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to detail the procurement processes used when engaging external legal firms and barristers, including whether panels are used; how often these are refreshed; the criteria used for selection and performance review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41541/25]
3341. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has conducted any audits or reviews in the past five years on legal fee spend; if so, to publish the findings or summaries of those reviews; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41559/25]
3342. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the internal oversight that exists within his Department to monitor the scope, duration, and cost escalation of legal services once engaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41577/25]
3343. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department makes use of capped fee arrangements, fixed-fee briefs, success-based fee models or other such arrangements in its legal engagements; if not, the reason such options are not considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41595/25]
3344. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether any legal engagements have exceeded their initial estimated or approved cost in the past three years; if so, the number of such cases and total overrun; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41613/25]
3345. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline whether English language lessons are available to every person seeking international protection; whether it is mandatory in any circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41646/25]
3346. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reasons that the undergraduate psychology degree programme (PC414) at Carlow College is not currently included in the Free Fees Initiative and is not eligible for SUSI grants or funding, despite being equivalent to psychology degrees offered by other institutions that do qualify under both schemes; if h…
3347. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a nationwide breakdown of all craft apprenticeships, with details on the number of students began their apprenticeships in each category in 2024 and the number of these students that dropped out of their studies in 2025, by category, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4…
3348. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a breakdown of the number of students qualified in the craft apprenticeship program of plumbing in 2024 and 2025; for a breakdown of funding costs of this program for both years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41791/25]
3349. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a breakdown of the number of students qualified in the craft apprenticeship program of electrical apprenticeships in 2024 and 2025; for a breakdown of funding costs of this program for both years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41792/25]
3350. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a breakdown of the number of students qualified in the craft apprenticeship program of brick and stone laying in 2024 and 2025; for a breakdown of funding costs of this program for both years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41793/25]
3351. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a breakdown of the number of students qualified in the craft apprenticeship program of geo-drilling in 2024 and 2025; for a breakdown of funding costs of this program for both years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41794/25]
3352. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a breakdown of the number of students qualified in the craft apprenticeship program of painting and decorating in 2024 and 2025; for a breakdown of funding costs of this program for both years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41795/25]
3353. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a breakdown of the number of students qualified in the craft apprenticeship program of plastering in 2024 and 2025; for a breakdown of funding costs of this program; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41796/25]
3354. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a breakdown of the number of students qualified in the craft apprenticeship program of scaffolding in 2024 and 2025; for a breakdown of funding costs of this program for both years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41797/25]
3355. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a breakdown of the number of students qualified in the craft apprenticeship program of stone cutting and stone masonry in 2024 and 2025; for a breakdown of funding costs of this program for both years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41798/25]
3356. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a breakdown of the number of students qualified in the craft apprenticeship program wood manufacturing and finishing in 2024 and 2025; for a breakdown of funding costs of this program for both years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41799/25]
3357. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students who qualified in the craft apprenticeship program of carpentry and joinery in 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41804/25]
3358. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason his Department has reduced the points on the health professions admission test required for studying medicine (HPAT) from 300 to 150 points, and for the Leaving Certificate points from 565 to 625; the supports available for those unable to afford to pay privately up to €675 for a ten-week HPA…
3359. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason no capital funding was allocated in 2025 for the Technological University of the Shannon compared with the previous year when there was an allocation of €10,195,462.18; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41806/25]
3360. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason no capital funding was allocated for Southeast Technological University in 2025 compared to 2024 when €8,536,167.02 was allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41807/25]