Questions

349. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his proposals to expand upon and develop education and training and opportunities related to the tourism sector. [15944/25]

350. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the dates and attendees of all MinMAC meetings in his Department since he took office. [16203/25]

834. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on a new school building (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15797/25]

835. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the issues surrounding students’ eligibility for SUSI grants for a certain approved course under the part-time fee scheme (details supplied); if there are any plans to expand this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15113/25]

836. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the need to create a student finance model that would provide interest free loans to students that do not qualify for SUSI grants, to support the associated costs of attending third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15182/25]

837. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if she will consider exploring the feasibility of establishing a wind turbine trade school in the northwest to boost apprenticeships and employment in the green energy industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15207/25]

838. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he or Ministers of State from his Department raised recent breaches of international law by Israel such as cutting off food, water, and electricity to civilian populations in Gaza during recent visits to EU Member States over the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations; and if he will make a statement on the matter…

839. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the pay discrepancies between the apprentice electrical contracting rate and the engineering industry rate; if there are concrete plans to address this pay discrepancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15299/25]

840. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when a SUSI grant appeal will be approved for a student (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15331/25]

841. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware that in some cases, apprenticeships that would ordinarily take four years to complete, are taking seven years to finish; if he will investigate a case of a person (details supplied) with a view to providing more classes to facilitate the completion of apprenticeships in a timely fashio…

842. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science regarding the evaluation of course content of e-college courses, whether there is any independent evaluation of the quality of the content; whether Solas senior management have self-tested each or any course; if Solas senior management engages with users of the e-college directly to evaluate their feedb…

843. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the content of e-college fits with the Government's educational ambitions in the Programme for Government; whether extra content will be added to the offering which aligns with Government objectives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15484/25]

844. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there are plans for adding content to e-college that might encourage people to pursue careers in the areas of public sector recruitment shortfalls such as the Gardaí, Defence Forces or healthcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15485/25]

845. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for each year since 1 January 2020, the cost of operation of e-college; the number of Solas staff who work on e-college projects; the process for evaluating value; the completion rate and number of participants in each course; the cost per head of each course per completing student; and if he will make …

846. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will undertake one of the shorter e-college courses so that he might better understand the user experience of the platform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15487/25]

847. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether subsidiary companies of universities and colleges also fall under his aegis; whether such entities are considered public sector bodies; whether public sector procurement and pay rules apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15488/25]

848. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether any public bodies or publicly funded bodies under his aegis are not compliant with Part V of the Disability Act 2005; whether Part V applies to subsidiaries of universities and colleges; whether, in cases where it does not, he has the powers to extend such a requirement, either through Ministeri…

849. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding support available to a person (details supplied); if their SUSI application will be reconsidered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15630/25]

850. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update regarding the new campus for Kilkenny College of Further Education and Training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15641/25]

851. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will increase the core funding for higher education institutions and ensure that it is index linked going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15701/25]

852. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will extend the free fees initiative to the BSc programmes in education studies and early childhood education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15704/25]

853. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ensure that Marino Institute of Education is recognised as eligible for the various additional funding streams provided for by the HEA (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15705/25]

854. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ensure that Marino Institute of Education is allocated devolved grant funding for campus maintenance and sustainability initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15706/25]

855. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to comment on recent suggestions that there will be no further reductions in student fees, which contrasts with the commitment to reduce the student contribution fee over the lifetime of the Government in the Programme for Government; if he can give reassurances that this commitment remains a priority; and…

1. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress being made with regard to the current challenges in the apprenticeship system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14864/25]