Parliamentary questions

971. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason his Department’s programme expenditure has decided to decrease the outrun target numbers of places for Skillnet Ireland learners upskilling who are unemployed from the outrun target of 2,650 in 2023, 1,800 in 2024 and only 1,500 in 2025; and if he will make a statement on t…

972. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason his Department has continued to decrease the number of Springboard places available from the 2023 outturn target of 9,245 places; 8,225 places in 2024 and just 8,000 in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32585/25]

973. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for detailed information on the six further education building projects marked as output targets for 2025; the reason there were no building projects planned for the years 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32586/25]

974. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans his Department has in addressing the numbers of SOLAS beneficiaries on training courses for those seeking employment, which significantly decreased from 78,502 in 2021 to 64,426 in 2022, in tabular form for the years 2023, 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on th…

975. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans his Department has to address the shortage and dramatic decrease of QQI-registered further education and training providers from 345 in 2021, 317 in 2022 and just 176 in 2023; to provide updated details for 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on t…

976. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans his Department has to address the shortage and dramatic decrease of the number of QQI-registered further education and training providers that issued certification/certificates within the years 2021 (251), 2022 (216) and 2023 (169); if he will provide updated details on cert…

977. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there will be an increase of funding from the National Training Fund for training grants to industry from the current amount of €6,500 since 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32590/25]

978. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department plans to increase the current estimate of funding from the National Training Fund for Springboard of €27,550 since 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32591/25]

979. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans his Department has to address the significant decrease in funding for the financial and human resource inputs for universities, technological universities and other bodies from €1,615,464 in 2024 to €1,468,309 in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32592/25…

980. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department intends to cap the welcome increase in funding of public private partnership costs from €39,000 (NTF) in 2024 to €70,000 (NTF) in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32593/25]

981. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department intends to cap the welcome increase in funding of €7,807 from 2024 €5,559 for miscellaneous grants and services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32594/25]

982. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans his Department has to build on and expand the numbers of higher education students in the State, with the last figure from 2023 is at 202,450; if he will provide updated figures for 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32610/25]

983. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the current percentage of full-time higher education international students, with the last figure from 2023 showing they make up just 17% of students; to provide updated percentage figures for 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matt…

984. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science His Department's plans in addressing the significant decrease in numbers for Springboard enrolments with 11,033 enrolments in 2021, 10,545 in 2022 and just 9,444 in 2023; to provide updated figures for 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [326…

985. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department plans to address the demand for English-language students; and for an update on the number of English-language students for 2024 and 2025. [32613/25]

986. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason his Department has significantly reduced digital and capital investment and IT expenses from his programme allocations budget by 80% from €1,750 in 2024 to €349 in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32614/25]

987. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the costs incurred by his Department and bodies under its aegis from contracts awarded to communications and PR firms in 2024; the name of the contractor and a description of the work undertaken in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32641/25]

988. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to encourage greater participation by Peruvian students in third level institutions and continuing educational opportunities in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32659/25]

989. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if an applicant (details supplied) will be considered for SUSI assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32706/25]

990. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the degree to which he is pursuing the ‘CERN for AI’ proposal (details supplied); if he sees opportunity in State-led AI collaboration, research and investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32739/25]

991. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of judicial review cases his Department has defended in each of the past ten years; the number in relation to which proceedings are pending or continuing; the number of cases which were lost and won, respectively, in the same period; the number of cases that settled in the past …

570. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total estimated cost to the Exchequer associated with the recent renaming and rebranding of his Department, including, but not limited to, cost categories (details supplied); the breakdown of the incurred or projected costs; and if a cost-benefit analysis or any assessment of public va…

571. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of Springboard courses delivered by further and higher education institutes nationwide for the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [31429/25]

572. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide a schedule of the amount expended by his Department, and bodies under his aegis, on external training, simulations and advice in advance relating to appearances as witnesses at Oireachtas committees, from 2021 to date in 2025; if the supplier of services will also be provided…

573. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update as to the current status of the application by a university (details supplied) to develop its Wexford campus. [31520/25]