Parliamentary questions

1912. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline, given that the last time the interdepartmental group on student accommodation met was 2021, when they are scheduled to meet next; what progress or timeline is in place for the publication of the national student accommodation strategy; and if he will make a statement on th…

1913. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of graduates in planning from Irish higher education institutions in each of the years 2020 to 2024; and the projected number in each of the years 2025 to 2029. [11643/25]

1914. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the percentage of State-owned purpose-built student accommodation for University College Cork, the University of Limerick and University College Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11669/25]

1915. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline the members of all technical university boards across the country; the process involved in selecting members for these boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11702/25]

1916. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the annual amount claimed by special advisors attached to him or his Department outside of their regular salary, since 1 March 2020 to date in 2025, by mileage claim and amount, subsistence, other vouched expenses and unvouched expenses; and if the travel episode and or journey related…

1917. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the supports available with contribution fees for students studying abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11814/25]

1918. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to discrepancies in pay for apprentices completing the off-the-job college phases of their apprenticeship at a company (details supplied) compared to other apprentices completing the same course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11960/25]

1919. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if an organisation (details supplied) will be engaged with in respect of the new student accommodation strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12010/25]

1920. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the funding being directed towards a workshop (details supplied) and his views on whether utopia is appropriate given that it is referencing the ending of an unborn child’s life. [12092/25]

1921. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount of funding being directed towards facilitating the workshops (details supplied). [12093/25]

1922. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of members of boards in each body under the aegis of his Department who have a professional accounting qualification, for each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12155/25]

1923. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to identify, by body name and associated skills gap, any skills gaps identified by the chairperson of that board in correspondence to his Department or a Minister in respect of the composition of the board of the body referred, for each year between 2020 and 2025, in tabular form; to …

1924. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to confirm that for each year between 2020 and 2025 in respect of the boards of bodies under the aegis of his Department, at least one member of the audit and risk committee of that board has recent, relevant financial experience for each of those years; where that is not the case, to…

1925. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to confirm that for each year between 2020 and 2025 in respect of the boards of bodies under the aegis of his Department, that the board has a terms of reference; where that is not the case, to identify that body, by reference to year or years where no terms of reference existed; and …

1926. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will address the concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding disparity in pay for apprentices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12246/25]

1927. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount of capital investment allocated to SETU in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12341/25]

1928. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current status of the new Kilkenny Institute of Further Education; the amount of capital envisaged to complete the project and when he hopes to have this college open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12343/25]

1929. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider developing a centre of excellence for marine and airborne field robotics, with a particular focus on supporting many Government and semi-State agencies that have requirements from time to time for marine field robot systems; if he will consider locating this centre of…

1930. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason apprentice wage norms in engineering have not been reviewed since July 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12402/25]

1931. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason discriminatory rates of payments to apprentices exist between the electrical, construction, mechanical and engineering industries where apprentices attain the same qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12403/25]

1932. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider expediting a review of the Solas statutory apprenticeship which require that certain apprenticeship applicants must pass the Ishihara colour vision test without the use of corrective lenses, particularly given the most recent technological advances that have been made i…

1933. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of people who attained qualification in early years childcare in each of the years from 2004 to 2024; and the QQI/FETEC level attained, in tabular form. [12831/25]

1934. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to identify specific examples where artificial intelligence has been adapted for the operation of his Department and each body under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12921/25]

460. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plan to provide pay parity for tutors in the adult education sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10273/25]

461. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science given the obvious shortage on the ground of qualified trades people, her plans to further invest in the provision of apprenticeship training for young students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10361/25]