Parliamentary questions

934. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures taken to support the further education sector since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53482/26]

935. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures taken to support and expand student accommodation since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53483/26]

936. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures taken to enhance and expand apprenticeships since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53484/26]

937. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures taken to boost Ireland's research capacity since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53485/26]

938. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures taken to make higher education more affordable since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53486/26]

939. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to comment on the HEA's 2026 budget & accountability report for higher education institutions, and in particular in relation to the reference to institutions reporting significantly heightened financial fragility (details supplied). [53568/26]

940. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his view on the sustainability of the HEIs to have borrowing levels in excess of €1.2bn in September 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53569/26]

941. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to ensure that HEI's are adequately funded, on an annual basis, to cover nationally agreed pay awards, both currently and legacy pay awards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53570/26]

942. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide guidance regarding a query in relation to reimbursement of course fees from a language school (details supplied). [53624/26]

943. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding a CAO application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53654/26]

254. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide the amounts by which his Department or agencies within the aegis of his Department has that been defrauded as a result of a cyberattack; and the total amount which has been recovered for each of the years 2021 to 2025, and to date in 2026. [51985/26]

255. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if. during discussions with a college (details supplied) and SETU prior to the announcement of the closure of the former, his Department was aware that redundancies would be a necessary or likely outcome of the negotiations. [52140/26]

256. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the person or body that completed the independent valuation of the lands and property of a college (details supplied) ; whether the report will be released to the public or interested parties; whether any other valuations carried out, and if so, by which organisations; and whether…

257. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether his Department has ensured that certain conditions were attached to the finances made available for the wind down of operations and teach-out at a college (details supplied), namely redundancy packages ringfenced for all staff. [52142/26]

258. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware that there is an inconsistency in entry requirements for Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) programmes across State-funded providers (details supplied); whether he considers this inconsistency to be consistent with the founding purpose of the PLC programme, which was establ…

879. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in view of his Department's role in coordinating Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 July to 31 December 2026, if the EU Presidency programme includes any citizen science initiative, in line with the role of citizen engagement in the EU missions. [52339/2…

880. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the main policy achievements of his Department since 22 January 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50803/26]

881. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to examine a written report on a scholarship programme, together with an independent auditor’s report, thus ensuring that this report is brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50916/26]

882. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the National College of Ireland achieving full Higher Education Authority designation status. [51020/26]

883. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students from County Cork in receipt of SUSI maintenance grants in the 2025-2026 academic years; the average processing time for applications; the measures being taken to ensure timely grant payments to students at the beginning of the academic year; and if he will make …

884. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of apprenticeship registrations in County Cork in each of the past three years, broken down by apprenticeship programme; the steps being taken to expand apprenticeship opportunities in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51105/26]

885. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the proportion of the National Training Fund that is used toward AI upskilling; the plans to further engage in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51186/26]

886. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which quantum computing is being integrated into Irish higher education and research; the measures to improve quantum literacy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51187/26]

887. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated full-year cost of doubling maintenance grants and restoring the grant adjacency rate to 24 km; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51351/26]

888. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated total student contributions paid by all higher education students in 2024 and 2025; the expected contributions in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51352/26]