Questions

307. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason the Student Accommodation Strategy 2026-2035 does not include the reported 10,000 new student-specific beds to be delivered through rent-a-room scheme over the lifetime of the strategy or any specific targets; the way in which he will increase the supply of beds available through the scheme by…

3449. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the details of the circumstances which led to the write off expenditure amounting to €427,000 incurred on professional fees relating to a building that did not go ahead in Atlantic Technological University in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24374/26]

3452. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress on the Wexford campus of the South-East Technological University; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24475/26]

3455. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress being made on the delivery of student accommodation under the €100 million Short-Term Activation Programme announced in 2022; the number of these projects that have commenced; and if all of the allocated funding been drawn down. [24551/26]

3472. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 462 of 25 March 2026, the number of apprenticeships that were not completed in each of the years 2020 to 2025; and the reasons they were not completed, in tabular form. [25678/26]

462. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of apprenticeship students registered in each year from 2020 to date; the year of their apprenticeship; the number of apprenticeship graduations for each of those years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23068/26]

1037. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures he will take to ensure there are no job losses in Trinity College Dublin's CRANN and AMBER centres due to non-renewal of funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21378/26]

1038. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how often structural inspections take place in HEIs; how often furniture and fittings are inspected; the number of maintenance works that have been carried out each year between 2020 and 2026, in tabular form; who receives reports of inspections and ensures they are rectified; and if he will make a stat…

523. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the Minister Of State within his Department has visited a centre (details supplied) in 2025 and to date in 2026; if so, the purpose of each visit, in tabular form. [21049/26]

524. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to ensure that adequate funding is made available to third level institutes so that research centres can remain open, following concerns raised by an organisation (detail supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21057/26]

2234. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to clarify the future plans for the general arts courses in University of Galway; the meaning of “reimagining” courses; whether any reduction in courses or places is envisaged; if he will instruct the university to engage with students and their unions before decisions are made; when any changes will be…

2244. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of apprenticeship places that were created under the Action Plan for Apprenticeships 2021-2025; his views on the success of the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18908/26]

2245. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when funding will be released for on-site student accommodation for a university (detail supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18909/26]

2246. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has received any communication from organisations (details supplied) regarding the specific building conditions reported on 25 February 2026; his views on reports that students and staff at the Waterford campuses are working in environments with black mould, bracket fungus, and a recor…

2247. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether students enrolled in full-time programmes delivered by Teagasc are eligible to access supports under the fund for students with disabilities; whether Teagasc may apply for FSD funding on behalf of it’s students; if so , the mechanism by which such applications should be made; if not, the measure…

2252. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of ETB teachers that have been laid off; the number of others that will follow due to changes in tendering processes; to outline the anomalies and inconsistencies uncovered by the EPS which led to the decision to change the processes; the number of ETB classes that will be cancelled as a resu…

2256. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department will review the residency criteria for the Free Fees Initiative and EU fee status as it applies to the children of Irish citizens who were forced to emigrate for economic reasons (details supplied); if he is aware of the significant financial barrier the 'three of the last five years' …

2257. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to confirm that there are NCI courses which are not eligible for the free fees initiative; to confirm the number of these; the reason they are not covered; if he will reassess the courses so they are covered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19871/26]

985. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of times he met with student unions since taking office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16616/26]

986. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline what the fund for students with disabilities covers; the amount that is allocated to each category across all FETs; the amount that is allocated to transport across all FETs, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16665/26]

1260. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has visited Dublin City University to-date in 2026; if so, the purpose of each visit, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12237/26]

1261. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when he last met the Dean of the University of Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12238/26]

1195. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science given that 3rd level institutions produce lists of counsellors/psychotherapists for their students who wish to engage in personal therapy, his views on the way in which these institutions choose these counsellors/psychotherapists, given that there is no existing set of professional standards; and if he …

1196. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science given that 3rd level institutions produce lists of counsellors/psychotherapists for their students who have to engage in supervision, his views on the way in which these institutions choose these counsellors/psychotherapists, given that there is no existing set of professional standards; and if he will …

1197. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way in which he plans to ensure that people in lower socioeconomic backgrounds can train to become counsellors/therapists given that the cost of these courses are several thousand euro, before the added expense of textbooks, personal therapy, supervision; and if he will make a statement on the matte…