Questions

1249. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to review the SUSI threshold disregard for students working as the recent increase from €8,424 to €8,830 is not adequate. [35186/26]

1250. Deputy Brian Brennan 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 the Wicklow Wexford Constituency in each of the past five years, in …

1251. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for assistance with a DARE scheme application (details supplied). [33986/26]

1252. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the minimum wage for apprenticeships; whether he will increase the minimum wage for apprentices to encourage participation in light of the rising cost-of-living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34006/26]

1253. Deputy Grace Boland 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 Fingal in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he wil…

1254. Deputy Micheál Carrigy 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 Longford in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if h…

1255. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the ALL Oversight Group and National Literacy Coalition will be meeting again; and the plan for restructuring same. [34099/26]

1256. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the ALL Strategy mid-term review; and the consultation that is planned. [34100/26]

1257. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to increase the number of craft apprenticeship meetings from six per year held; to issue the national craft certificates to ensure much needed recently qualified tradespeople can receive their certification without unnecessary delay allowing them to get started working after years of hard work; and if he …

1258. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to assist the Ukrainian community across the county with educational opportunities, (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34168/26]

1259. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to prioritise and accelerate the delivery of purpose built student accommodation in Kerry, Cork and Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34255/26]

1260. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to establish a Funding Programme to activate derelict sites identified in Local Authority registers for student accommodation development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34257/26]

1261. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to engage with the Minister for Transport and improve transport links from rural areas to higher education campuses by identifying and addressing transport gaps where no viable public routes exist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34258/26]

1262. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to engage with the Minister for Transport and coordinate public transport scheduling with higher education timetables to ensure reliable access to campuses, including increased services during peak time hours and the provision of late evening services to support student participation, retention and engage…

1263. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the policy rationale for excluding certain QQI validated undergraduate programmes delivered by private higher education institutions from eligibility under the free fees initiative and from SUSI grant support; whether he is aware that the BA (Hons) in Psychology at Carlow College is currently the only u…

1264. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding any mechanism in place within his Department that allows for civil servants to transfer on secondment to an equivalent role within the European Union, without negatively impacting their pension and other employment rights; his views on the merits of such a scheme; and if he will make a …

1265. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware that there is no bereavement leave as part of Research Ireland's post-graduate scholarships and that bereaved researchers must take unpaid leave; and if he will direct Research Ireland to put in place bereavement leave as part of the scholarship contract. [34707/26]

1266. Deputy John Paul O'Shea 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 Cork North-West in each of the past five years, in tabular form; …

1267. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the Department last published an annual NTF evaluation report including counterfactual modelling of programme impacts, as recommended in the Indecon Review and repeatedly called for by an organisation (details supplied) since 2022; the reason no such report has appeared since 2019; and the date on which…

1268. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of times the NTF Advisory Group has met since July 2022; the number of employer representatives who attended each meeting; and the specific recommendations from an organisation (details supplied) on enhancing enterprise input into governance and prioritisation of NTF expenditure that have been imp…

1269. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether the National Training Fund has been leveraged to implement a dedicated Lifelong Learning Strategy to prepare workers for the digital and green twin transition, as recommended by an organisation (details supplied) in 2022; the total NTF expenditure on digital skills, green skills and lifelong learning…

1270. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will introduce a national training voucher scheme, as proposed by an organisation (details supplied) in 2022 and supported by the Indecon Review, to reimburse employers (particularly SMEs) for accredited in-company training; and if not, why the €283 million unspent in the NTF in 2025 has not been used …

1271. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will introduce the time-limited National Training Fund rebate recommended by an organisation (details supplied) in 2022 to support businesses facing rising labour costs from auto-enrolment, living wage and pension changes; and whether he accepts that continued accumulation of surpluses while employers …

1272. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the additional funding allocated to employer-led Skillnet networks and Regional Skills Fora Managers since 2022 to boost SME engagement and regional capacity, as called for by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will provide a regional breakdown showing expenditure in rural and agri-food areas. [34…

1273. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether all NTF-funded programmes now meet the core statutory objectives of close-to-labour-market skills, upskilling those in employment and preparing people for employment, as insisted upon by an organisation (details supplied); the amount of NTF money reallocated to non-employer-aligned programmes (includ…