Further and Higher Education

403. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will reverse austerity measures made during the financial crash regarding FET learners payments, as many prospective students are not able to take up places on suitable courses as the payment they would receive is well under that of a full weekly social welfare payment, despite them having travel and food costs and other cos…

949. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when his Department will implement a revised funding model for graduate entry medicine students, as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32053/25]

950. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if new financial supports are being developed to assist graduate entry medicine students in meeting the cost of tuition, in light of the recent withdrawal of graduate medical loan products by commercial lenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32054/25]

965. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans for programme expenditure to address the numbers of invention disclosures from higher education institutes; the reasons there is a significant decrease from 486 in 2021, 400 in 2022 and 361 in 2023; to details of this for 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a…

970. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason there is no consistency in numbers from his Department of Skillnet Ireland learners from the 2023 outturn target of 96,646 to the 2024 output target of 82,800 to the slightly increased output target of 84,000 in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32540/2…

386. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to allocate funding to a local training initiative (details supplied), to retain this vital community development programme. [31216/25]

1654. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason further education and training funding to the LMETB was cut (details supplied) for service plan 2025; if he will immediately reverse this cut; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29673/25]

421. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the cost to Improve pay for instructors to increase training capacity in the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28037/25]

435. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a breakdown of costs for the ‘fund for student’s with a disability (FSD) for the years 2020 to 2025 across all further education and training FET courses, in tabular form.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28391/25]

439. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science given the significant surplus in the National Training Fund, how the Government intends to utilise these funds to address underinvestment in higher education and support strategic initiatives outlined in the Annual Options Paper. [28395/25]

441. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for a breakdown of costs for the special rate threshold from €25,000 to €26,200 in 2024-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28397/25]

442. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for breakdown of costs based on the increased holiday earnings threshold from €6,552 to €7,925 from 2024-2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28398/25]

815. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to report on the work of officials within his Department to deliver Ireland's first Tertiary Education Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27245/25]

816. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he expects the Tertiary Education Strategy's development to conclude by November 2025 as set out in the Higher Education Authority Act 2022. [27246/25]

817. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to report on when he expects the public consultation process for the Tertiary Education Strategy to begin. [27247/25]

835. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to report on when the transfer of functions relating to Further Education and Training from the Education and Training Boards Act 2013 and the Education Act 1998 will be completed. [27268/25]

837. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to update on the development of an appropriate governance framework for the new FET College; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27270/25]

838. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to update on the work of officials within his Department on agreeing a detailed blueprint for FET provision in the FET College of the future driving integration, consolidation and specialisation of existing provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27271/25]

839. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to update on whether the management and reporting structures for the new FET College have been finalised; and if not; when does the Minister expect this to be done. [27272/25]

840. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to report on the work of his Department in the development of a long-term sustainable funding model for tertiary programmes allowing learners to complete further education degrees in a higher education setting. [27273/25]

844. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to make statements on the board vacancies for the HEA and higher education institutions. [27277/25]

845. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when he expects the appointment of the new chairperson of the Higher Education Authority to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27278/25]

846. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when he expects the appointment of the new CEO of QQI to be made. [27279/25]

847. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when he expects his Department to publish the 2025 annual options paper. [27280/25]

848. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the 16 established sexual violence and harassment prevention and response manager posts in higher education institutions have been filled. [27281/25]