Parliamentary questions

440. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will detail whether any surveys have been carried out to estimate the amount of time taken up with administrative tasks where such time could be used more efficiently; if so, in which areas of the Department has this examination been carried out; and if he will make a statement o…

283. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider introducing a statutory obligation for schools and third-level institutions to report suspected recruitment or coercive activity by ideological groups to the relevant authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17762/25]

284. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has carried out any assessment of cult influence or high-control group activity within educational settings, particularly in relation to the recruitment of vulnerable students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17763/25]

285. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will work with the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to develop national guidelines for schools and universities to help staff identify signs of cult recruitment and coercive indoctrination on campus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17767/25]

286. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department is aware that 25% of this year’s CAO applicants are from previous years, and many of this cohort are from years where leaving certificate grades were inflated; if he will acknowledge the significant disadvantage this creates for current Leaving Certificate students, who …

287. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ring-fence CAO places for students from previous years in order that they compete against each other and not against the 2025 Leaving Certificate students whose grades are artificially lower by comparison or apply grade deflation to students from previous years entering this yea…

288. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider ring-fencing a proportion of CAO places in 2025 for students who are sitting the Leaving Certificate in that year, so they are not in direct competition with applicants from previous years whose grades reflect higher levels of grade inflation; if he will consider applyi…

289. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the regulatory oversight that exists in relation to private English-language schools (details supplied); whether complaints from students or staff are monitored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17788/25]

290. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department is aware of changes to student policies at an English-language school (details supplied) that may breach existing student contracts; the protections in place for international language students attending such institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1…

291. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how he intends to incentivise research and development in public institutions and in private enterprise, and, in particular, in joint research initiatives between public institutions and businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17857/25]

292. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how many undergraduate courses are available at third level, in tabular form. [17886/25]

293. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how many postgraduate courses are available at third level, in tabular form. [17887/25]

294. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how many apprenticeships are available at third level, in tabular form. [17888/25]

295. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an update on the implementation of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 (ISL) within his Department and its associated public bodies, including details of any ISL strategies that have been developed; and if no ISL strategy has been developed to date, the details of plans his Depa…

1051. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the concerns among students sitting the Leaving Certificate in 2025 regarding the impact of grade inflation from previous years on CAO competition; his views on measures such as ring-fencing places or adjusting grade calculations to ensure fairness for a…

1052. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of PLC courses available across Ireland, in tabular form. [16560/25]

1053. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of PLC courses available at third level, in tabular form. [16577/25]

1054. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how the equalisation of the Leaving Certificate will affect the points race for courses in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16584/25]

1055. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide the voluntary licensee register for students attending third level institutions. [16594/25]

1056. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of people who have voluntarily registered with the voluntary licensees register. [16595/25]

1057. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for undergraduate fees and student contribution fees in the past 15 years, in tabular form. [16598/25]

1058. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; and the total project cost of projects in excess of €500,000, or of any other capital projects …

1059. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if consideration will be given to allowing Phase 2 apprentice electricians from Waterford to complete their training in Waterford, rather than being required to attend a course in Limerick; and if full cost of travel and accommodation will be paid to cover the financial hardship faced…

1060. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide a breakdown of the budgetary allocations or indicative funding figures issued to each of the higher education and research bodies (details supplied). [16816/25]

1061. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of vacancies at each grade of higher executive officer and above currently within his Department; and the estimated timeframe to fill each of those vacancies, in tabular form. [16864/25]