Questions

621. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there is a canteen in his Department headquarters; and if the Minister can provide assurances that all meat sold or provided in that canteen is of Irish origin. [11183/26]

622. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount expended by his Department and by each agency for which he is responsible on advertising, promotion, advertising companies and external communications companies or consultants in 2025 and the expected costs for 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11353/26]

386. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures being taken to improve student accommodation affordability and access in Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11028/26]

387. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of purpose-built student accommodation units available in Kildare in each of the years 2019 to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11029/26]

388. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide details of the broad services provided in a centre (details supplied); the number of attendees at this training centre in the years of 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10952/26]

389. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost in 2026 of reducing all undergraduate third level fees under the free fees initiative to €1,500 from September 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11046/26]

390. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost in 2026 of abolishing apprenticeship fees from January 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11047/26]

391. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost of increasing the SUSI grant by 10%. [11048/26]

392. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost in 2026 of reducing all undergraduate third level fees under the free fees initiative to €1,500 from September 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11060/26]

1237. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his Department's policy on recognising degrees, higher diplomas in Education, and Teaching Council registration for Youthreach resource persons; whether such qualifications should attract allowances or recognition comparable to Youthreach teacher grades; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9888/…

1238. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the policy basis for recognising or not recognising teaching experience gained in Government-funded State post-primary schools outside the European Union for Youthreach resource persons; the rationale for any differential treatment versus post-primary teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.…

1239. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the scholarships that may be available for a Palestinian citizen pursuing postgraduate medical studies (details supplied); and the way they can be accessed. [9181/26]

1240. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of staff directly responsible for cybersecurity, as distinct from IT, within his Department; if a threat analyst, vulnerability manager and a cyber infrastructure engineer are employed; if not in-house, if this work is outsourced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9432/26]

1241. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which his Department examines third party supply chain vulnerability when it comes to cybersecurity. [9450/26]

1242. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has identified skills shortages in fields related to cyber security; the measures in place to address these shortages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9462/26]

1243. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of Irish citizens who returned to the State as a direct or indirect result of the “Build Back Home” advertising campaign run by his Department in 2024 and 2025, respectively; the methodology used by his Department to measure campaign outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9491/2…

1244. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether his Department carried out any cost-benefit analysis, value-for-money assessment, or post-campaign evaluation in respect of the “Build Back Home” advertising campaign conducted in Canada, Australia, and the United States in 2024 and 2025; whether any key performance indicators were set in advance; an…

1245. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the procurement process used for the “Build Back Home” advertising campaign in 2024 and 2025; the advertising channels utilised, including digital platforms, recruitment platforms, and media buys; the total expenditure per channel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9493/26]

1246. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated additional cost incurred by students and their families in the 2025 academic year arising from the level of the student contribution fee prior to Budget 2026; whether his Department quantified this cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9494/26]

1247. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the projected timeline and fiscal pathway by which his Department intends to meet the Programme for Government commitment to reduce the student contribution fee over the lifetime of the Government; whether further reductions are planned beyond Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9495…

1248. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of craft apprentices currently employed within the public service or semi-state companies such as ESB, Bord Na Mona and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9514/26]

1249. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures currently in place and any plans under consideration to reduce the financial burden on parents of students undertaking postgraduate education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9683/26]

1250. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the analysis which has been conducted on Indian student enrolments, post-study permission uptake, and student-to-work conversion rates in the context of the EU–India free trade agreement; whether any changes to graduate permission duration, eligibility, or sponsorship requirements are under consideration; th…

1251. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9779/26]

1252. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the Irish Governments plans to facilitate the recruitment of expert US scientists following President Trumps decision to cease funding for several sectors of research including climate change, medicine and diversity (details supplied), as Ireland urgently requires climate experts, especially now, to help …