Parliamentary questions

1251. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the annual cost of the Speak Out Programme in third level institutions for each of the years from 2022 to 2025 to date in 2026; his views on whether the cost reflects its value as a reporting tool; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31872/26]

1252. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is of the view that the Speak Out data is accurate and reliable considering only 784 reports were made in the two-year period from 2022 to 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31873/26]

1253. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on whether the Speak Out data is reflective of the prevalence of hate crime and discrimination on Irish third level campuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31874/26]

1254. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has considered extending eligibility for Springboard courses to those not currently in employment who are not in receipt of State supports, such as those who have retired early. [32081/26]

1255. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether minors in the international protection process, including unaccompanied minors, aged 15+ need a labour market access permit to access ETB Youth Reach programmes and CTC Youth Reach programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32256/26]

1256. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of protected disclosures that have gone missing or have been compromised that have been submitted to his Department or State bodies that are responsible to his Department. [32289/26]

1257. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of staff that are currently inactively employed by his Department or any organisation with responsibility to his Department. [32309/26]

1258. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department engaged with any firms in the private sector in the development of his Department's new national AI skilling platform, 'AIReady.ie'; if so, if he will list those firms. [32395/26]

1259. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the cost of establishing his Department's new national AI skilling platform, 'AIReady.ie'; the annual cost he expects to incur on a per annum basis moving forward; the length of time he expects the 'AIReady.ie' initiative to remain in existence; and if he will make a statement on the matt…

1260. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current rates of pay applicable to apprentices across the various apprenticeship phases; whether his Department has undertaken any assessment of how these rates align with the costs faced by apprentices, including accommodation, travel, tools, and education-related expenses; whether …

1261. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of instructors that are employed by Tipperary Education and Training Board to conduct commis chef apprenticeship training in 2025 and to-date in 2026, in tabular form. [33094/26]

1262. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide a detailed breakdown of all gifts received in his capacity as Minister; the nature of these gifts and potential monetary value; the procedures followed in accepting gifts [33382/26]

470. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will clarify whether SOLAS plans to increase the duration of machinery-related training courses; if so, the assessment that has been made of the impact on employers who must release and pay staff while attending such training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31779/2…

471. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide a detailed progress report on the learner centre proposed for the Munster Technological University to be located in the north campus in Tralee (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31684/26]

306. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of centres of excellence in the development of low-carbon technologies in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31442/26]

307. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on whether the level of wages for apprentices is adequate, especially in light of the cost-of-living crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30445/26]

308. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding the mechanisms in place to support agencies under his remit with the increased costs of employing staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31362/26]

309. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding the mechanisms in place to support agencies under his remit to manage the increase in the minimum wages in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31380/26]

310. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding the mechanisms in place to support agencies under his remit to manage increasing operating costs including insurance, energy and fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31398/26]

1293. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he and his Department are aware of the work and early outcomes of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency in the United Kingdom; whether consideration has been given to establishing a similar high-risk, high-reward research funding body in Ireland; and if he will outline any pl…

1294. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a detailed update in relation to any communications or engagements he or his Department officials have had in relation to the use of Mount Melleray as an educational campus (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29622/26]

1295. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he visited University of Sydney during his visit to Australia for the recent St. Patrick's Day. [30010/26]

1296. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding streams available for institutions to implement universal design for learning; the amount of funding that was provided in the past five years; what that funding was spent on. [30109/26]

1297. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide details on all open EU infringement proceedings where the subject of the infringement relates to the functions of his Department; the reason the infringement proceedings were initiated; the procedural stage of the infringement proceedings; and if he will make a statement on the…

1298. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the comprehensive and disaggregated breakdown of the National Training Fund (NTF) expenditure for the 2025 fiscal year and planned allocations for 2026 across the specific categories of Higher Education, Further Education and Training (FET), apprenticeships, Skillnet Ireland, and other…