Parliamentary questions

267. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the necessary funding will be provided to the dental school in UCC who have submitted proposed to the Department for the expansion of their training programme, which would involve the development of a new hub in which additional students could be trained and practice; and if he will make…

268. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans to introduce a third level course for childcare taught through the medium of Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29028/26]

269. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding his plans to bring Marino Institute of Education under the remit of his Department rather than the Department of education; the timeline envisaged for any such change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22066/26]

270. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount of funding allocated to each institution as part of the Fund for Students with Disabilities in each of the years 2014 to 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21800/26]

271. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the efforts being made to address the chronic shortage of accommodation for students in Limerick. [29047/26]

272. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the National Student Accommodation Strategy 2026-2035 will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22106/26]

273. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to his comments (details supplied) in relation to courses where there would be two students present and a class of 100 on the roll and his comments that some English language schools are acting as tick box exercise to allow people to get work permits; the actions he is taking to en…

274. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to increase the number of student beds in Munster. [22104/26]

275. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the work his Department is doing to expand the number of young people opting to take up an apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22112/26]

276. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the grant agreement for Ireland’s first AI factory antenna has been signed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22068/26]

277. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the rationale for removing the ringfenced allocation of €20 million for the provision of English language classes (ESOL) across the ETB network; whether he is aware of the cuts to class provision and the cuts to adult education teaching positions such as in GRETB as a result of this remov…

278. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department is working alongside multinationals and universities to enable job growth for graduating students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22113/26]

279. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the cost of third level fees in each of the years 2024, 2025, 2026; his plans to reduce fees; and the timeframe in which such will be delivered. [29147/26]

280. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to reinstate and develop in-person courses on the Clermont Campus in Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22111/26]

281. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has engaged with the Minister for Transport on the question of student commutes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22088/26]

567. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the review by SOLAS of the motor mechanics and heavy vehicle mechanics apprenticeship curricula to incorporate the knowledge and skills required to service and repair electric vehicles; the expected timeline for completion of this review; the expected date on which revis…

568. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether his Department has assessed the risk posed to the delivery of the Climate Action Plan EV deployment targets by the current shortage of qualified EV technicians in the State; whether this risk has been formally raised with the Department or with SOLAS; the interdepartmental coordi…

569. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of apprentices registered to the construction sector in 2025. [22085/26]

570. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when he will publish his Department’s student accommodation strategy. [22086/26]

571. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the percentage of those studying medicine in higher education institutions in the State at present who are non-EU students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22070/26]

572. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has taken any action in response to the repeated call in August 2025 by an association (details supplied) for a cap on the number of international students studying dentistry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22071/26]

573. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the actions he is taking to ensure enforcement of regulations in a sector (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22101/26]

574. 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 …

575. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the rationale for removing the ringfenced allocation of €20 million for the provision of English language classes (ESOL) across the ETB network; if he is aware of the cuts to class provision and the cuts to adult education teaching positions as a result of this removal of funding; and if …

576. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an update on the new student accommodation strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21755/26]