Parliamentary questions

272. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans his Department has to strengthen Ireland's research and innovation capacity in response to increasing international competition for research investment and talent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35624/26]

273. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures being considered to ensure that rapidly growing regional populations are matched by adequate higher and further education infrastructure, apprenticeship provision and student supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35625/26]

274. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a list of all capital projects, including further and higher education campus, ETB and research infrastructure projects, delivered under the remit of his Department which have been completed on time and within budget in Galway in each of the past five years, in tabular f…

150. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider additional financial supports for students on a temporary basis due to increasing travel costs that students are currently facing as we approach exam time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34974/26]

151. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he and his Department have considered not proceeding with the planned reduction in student contribution fees for the 2026-27 academic year, in light of the recent Government decision requiring Departments to absorb expenditure overruns within existing budgets; and if he will make a sta…

152. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the framework or protection he will put in place to ensure that any service charge will be included in the rent charge for students in student accommodation, given that otherwise the service charge can soar up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34975/26]

153. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science given the Programme for Government commits to phasing out the student contribution fee over the lifetime of this Dáil, and Budget 2026 delivered a permanent €500 reduction but due to it replacing the previous temporary €1,000 cut, students are actually paying €500 more this year than last …

154. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the progress in providing third level courses through the medium of Irish across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34976/26]

155. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views regarding the holiday earnings disregard for students applying for Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grants; his views on whether it is unfair that only income from work during holidays is considered, and students who have a small weekend job lose out on the SUSI grant…

156. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way his Department is aligning higher education courses with current and projected skills shortages in Ireland; if he will provide details of any new initiatives in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34803/26]

157. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the engagement he has had with University College Cork and Munster Technological University Cork on the housing crisis and the impact on student accommodation in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34346/26]

158. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has carried out any analysis of university courses in which maximum leaving certificate points did not guarantee admission due to demand; if he will list the courses where this applied alongside the number of places available through the CAO for these courses; the number …

159. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline his priorities in relation to Erasmus+ in the current negotiations for the EU’s multi-annual financial framework from 2028 to 2034. [34852/26]

160. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the veterinary course at Kildalton College will have its first intake of students in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34804/26]

161. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the actions being taken to improve access to higher education in regional areas, particularly in the midlands; and if additional funding is being allocated to institutions serving these regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34802/26]

162. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is satisfied that there are sufficient higher education places in STEM disciplines in Cork to meet projected regional demand over the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34332/26]

163. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans in place to address the accommodation difficulties at ATU Sligo; to provide an update on the purchase of a 16 acre site near the ATU Sligo campus that was earmarked for student accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34365/26]

164. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way the newly launched AIReady.ie platform will specifically support workers who are at immediate risk of job losses due to AI; the plans that are being considered in expanding the platform’s content beyond introductory AI literacy to keeping pace with AI advancements; and if he …

165. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether reporting (details supplied) that a budget overrun in another Department will have to be recouped through an increase in student fees is accurate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34607/26]

166. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the merits of creating 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. [34393/26]

167. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to report on his engagement with HEIs in relation to the Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34398/26]

168. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to give favourable consideration to index linking SUSI maintenance grants in line with rising accommodation costs and the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34844/26]

169. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will review the application of SUSI's "equivalent or lower qualification" rule in cases where a Level 9 psychology conversion programme serves as an alternative to an undergraduate psychology degree, resulting in students being ineligible for support for the next required stage …

170. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline future plans for aiready.ie and for upskilling programmes in artificial intelligence. [34391/26]

171. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will outline the work his Department is doing to encourage careers in the ORE sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34808/26]