Questions

2110. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has considered the establishment of a separate, dedicated construction training board to operate independently of SOLAS; and the rationale for either pursuing or rejecting this proposal. [58226/25]

2111. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide the internal assessments, feasibility studies, or stakeholder consultations conducted by his Department regarding the creation of a construction training board focused solely on the needs of the construction sector. [58227/25]

1. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for clarification on local training initiative operating guidelines, which state that any income received towards the running costs of an LTI , whether from earned income or secondary grant aiding, must be offset as income in the LTI monthly claim form. [56420/25]

47. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when the FET strategy for 2025-2029 will be published and implemented. [56016/25]

51. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress that has been made in the setting up of a hospitality education college at a site (details supplied) at Upper Park Road, Killarney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55956/25]

68. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the Kilkenny further education and training centre. [56028/25]

73. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide clarification in relation to Local Training Initiative Operating Guidelines (details supplied); if this policy means that LTIs are not financially independent and cannot generate or retain income to improve wages or conditions, given all funding is fully controlled and accounted for thr…

921. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason the salary and terms and conditions of staff on local training initiatives are less favourable than those on Youthreach; the plans in place to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55191/25]

328. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans to expand semiconductor related education and training pathways, including apprenticeships, post leaving certificate programmes and postgraduate research, in order to meet the workforce requirements of advanced chip manufacturing facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54157/2…

730. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the establishment of a national skills observatory as per recommendations made by the National Skills Council. [53328/25]

748. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there is a detailed plan on how the National Training Fund will be expanded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53521/25]

954. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the rationale for the 16% reduction in Reach funding for 2025, and the impact assessment carried out before this cut was made to community education providers and learners. [51132/25]

962. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason for significantly reduced numbers allocated to the vocational training opportunities scheme programme for 2025/2026, when there is huge numbers of applications (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51378/25]

980. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress of the development of a traineeship in modern methods of construction, as is expected to launch in quarter 3 of 2025. [51695/25]

986. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of courses and places available in the coming academic year under Springboard and under the human capital initiative; whether new general areas of skill shortage have been added to the range of courses being offered under these options; the payments to be made by students; and if participants on…

987. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department is responsible for the funding of ongoing operational costs (rent, rates, staffing, administration, etc.) of publicly funded programmes such as music generation and ETB music services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52018/25]

1427. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students studying graduate education medicine by institution for each year from 2015-2016 to 2024-2025; if statistics on progression and non-completion as well as the socio-economic profile of students on the programme are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48897/25]

1431. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if consideration will be given to supporting and funding further QQI-certified training programmes specifically designed for members of the deaf community, given that a charity (details supplied) has successfully trained the first two deaf individuals in Ireland through the City and Guilds programme, an…

2722. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in view of volatile CAO points locking students out of medicine, nursing, and pharmacy, the number of additional places that will be created for 2026, particularly in UCC and MTU. [46264/25]

2726. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to establish an undergraduate programme in orthotics, given that none currently exists in the State. [46422/25]

2734. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current offerings available at an education centre (details supplied); the supports provided by his Department to the expansion of higher education provision at the facility; and the future plans in place to support such an expansion. [47024/25]

3308. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the quality controls in place regarding the training provided by a company (details supplied) for special needs assistants or SNAs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43084/25]

3309. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated income, expenditure and surplus in the national training fund for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44078/25]

3310. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a report on national training fund spending, and its impact on training and education provision, will be published by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44079/25]

3311. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how the national training fund's investment in higher education will be used to implement the funding the future strategy; how the €50 million allocated from the NTF for higher education core funding in 2025 has been invested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44080/25]