Parliamentary questions

2543. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost to extend the SUSI postgraduate maintenance rate to the summer months also as they are still students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19764/25]

2544. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost to extend the SUSI maintenance rate to the summer months for students on placement as they are still students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19765/25]

2545. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost to provide students on SUSI who partake in mandatory placement an additional maintenance grant of €250 similarly to the grant for Erasmus students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19767/25]

2546. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost to abolish all postgraduate fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19770/25]

2547. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current Government policy on the ability of higher education institutions, including universities, technological universities and institutes of technology, to borrow funds for capital or infrastructure investment; and whether such institutions are required to obtain approval or sanct…

2548. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the borrowing framework or restrictions that apply to publicly funded higher education institutions, including technological universities and institutes of technology; and whether any approval process, legislative limitations, or fiscal rules constrain such institutions from borrowing to…

2549. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether higher education institutions, including universities and technological universities, are permitted to borrow or raise finance independently to develop student accommodation; and any policy, guidelines, or restrictions currently in place that may limit or regulate such borrowing.…

2550. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his policy or strategic approach to enabling or supporting the delivery of student accommodation by higher education institutions; and whether any capital funding, borrowing flexibility or public private partnership models are under consideration to expand student housing supply. [19853/…

2551. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason Technological University of the Shannon is not permitted to borrow for the purpose of developing student accommodation; and if there are plans to review borrowing restrictions to enable technological universities to support the delivery of on-campus housing. [19854/25]

2552. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the policy or legislative basis for restricting technological universities, including the Technological University of the Shannon, from borrowing to fund the construction of student accommodation; and whether any such restriction is under review. [19855/25]

2553. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there have been any recent developments in the implementation of the borrowing policy for technological universities; if a timeline has been established for when technological universities will be permitted to access borrowing facilities; how this policy is expected to support capital …

2554. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures being taken to increase research funding and infrastructure for technological universities; how his Department is supporting their development into research-intensive institutions on par with traditional universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19871/25]

2555. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a progress update on the implementation of financial supports for students undertaking unpaid or underfunded mandatory placements, as committed to in the programme for Government; if his Department has engaged with SUSI or the HEA to develop a targeted funding mechanism…

2556. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the level of capital investment in ATU Mayo, Castlebar campus since 2020; the capital projects funded at the campus over this period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19934/25]

2557. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the number of new courses, full-time and part-time, that have been added at ATU Mayo campus since 2020, as well as the number of courses, full-time and part-time, that have been discontinued in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19935/25]

2558. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his view on the application for a new apprenticeship focused on the community and voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20060/25]

2559. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the details and the breakdown of the student intake into primary teaching colleges and university faculties of education for the years 2020 to 2024; the gender breakdown of both students in training and students graduating at primary level and post-primary level; and if he will make a sta…

2560. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the average CAO points requirement for primary school teaching in the years 2020 to 20204, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20068/25]

2561. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on his plans to review the financial supports available for the 1,255 third level students from Ukraine studying in Ireland; for an update on tuition fees being paid by his Department through the temporary tuition fee support scheme, which was implemented…

2562. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the costs towards the temporary tuition fee support scheme for 2025 (details supplied); the length of time his Department will be paying for this temporary scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20182/25]

2563. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of Ukrainian students on the temporary tuition fee support scheme for 2025 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20183/25]

2564. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a breakdown, by Department or office, of the percentage of employees who have disclosed a disability for the past ten years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20202/25]

2565. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason part-time students attending Kings Inn are not currently eligible to apply for a SUSI grant; whether consideration can be given in the context of the student grant scheme 2025 to allow such part-time students to apply for a SUSI grant; and if he will make a statement on the m…

2566. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline the work being undertaken in his Department to increase access to third level education for disabled people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20284/25]

2567. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if all IT systems used by his Department can utilise the síneadh fada; where this is not the case, to provide the list of systems which do not accept or facilitate the use of the fada, in tabular form; the steps being taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the m…