938. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures taken to make higher education more affordable since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53486/26]
Topics / Further and Higher Education
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsFurther and Higher Education
415 questions from 87 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 6 October 2026.
415
questions
398 written, 17 oral
87
TDs have asked
9
parties and groups
Independents counted together
7
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 1 |
| February 2025 | 4 |
| March 2025 | 48 |
| April 2025 | 11 |
| May 2025 | 75 |
| June 2025 | 15 |
| July 2025 | 54 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 11 |
| October 2025 | 19 |
| November 2025 | 8 |
| December 2025 | 32 |
| January 2026 | 20 |
| February 2026 | 13 |
| March 2026 | 8 |
| April 2026 | 22 |
| May 2026 | 17 |
| June 2026 | 14 |
| July 2026 | 24 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 14 |
| October 2026 | 5 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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50
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40
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17
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15
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13
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12
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12
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11
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
939. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to comment on the HEA's 2026 budget & accountability report for higher education institutions, and in particular in relation to the reference to institutions reporting significantly heightened financial fragility (details supplied). [53568/26]
940. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his view on the sustainability of the HEIs to have borrowing levels in excess of €1.2bn in September 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53569/26]
941. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to ensure that HEI's are adequately funded, on an annual basis, to cover nationally agreed pay awards, both currently and legacy pay awards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53570/26]
943. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding a CAO application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53654/26]
563. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No’s 328, 330 and 331 of 24 June 2026,, wherein the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science indicated that responsibility for the matter lay with him, whether his Department recognises the significant role played by the international student cohort in Irish …
564. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration further to Parliamentary Question No’s 328, 330 and 331 of 24 June 2026, wherein the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science indicated that responsibility for the matter lay with him, whether consideration has been given to issuing specific guidance or policy clarification for higher educati…
882. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the National College of Ireland achieving full Higher Education Authority designation status. [51020/26]
889. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated full-year cost of ensuring all postgraduate research students receive a full-year €30,000 stipend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51353/26]
895. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to list each funding instrument, PhD programme, fellowship, award, public engagement programme or research infrastructure programme under his Department or Research Ireland, that has supported citizen science, citizen-generated data, public participation in data collection, or open-source research infras…
896. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the options available to a person (details supplied) to allow them to complete their education course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51667/26]
897. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 966 of 17 June 2025, the reason only 30 of the 45 SALI posts have been funded (details supplied); the steps his Department is taking to ensure that they are continued; the way in which the level of support provided to them will be monitored during and after the ten y…
95. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the additional measures that will be implemented to intensify collaboration and delivery of further and higher education on a cross-border and all-Ireland basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50256/26]
134. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether his Department is examining additional measures to improve progression to higher education for people with intellectual disabilities, including expanding PATH 4 places, strengthening partnerships between education and training boards and higher education institutions, and increasing work placement …
137. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps being taken by his Department to improve the further and higher education experience and supports available for students with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49772/26]
140. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress that will be made in 2026 and 2027 in delivering upgrades and new accommodation for the Further Education Sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50257/26]
142. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether consideration is being given to expanding the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH 4) to ensure that every region has at least one higher education institution offering a dedicated programme for students with intellectual disabilities; the timeline for any such expansion; and if he will m…
155. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the proportion of HEA or SOLAS-funded programmes that incorporate sustainability, green approaches or green skills in their delivery; the way in which this is being tracked; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50084/26]
558. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the supports in place for mature students with jobs who are looking to further their qualifications; his plans ahead of Budget 2027 negotiations for additional support for mature students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48696/26]
919. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware that places on a range of specialist training courses operated by the National Learning Network are capped, due to cuts to City of Dublin Education and Training Board funding; if funding was made available then specialist training places for young adults would open up; and if he will make …
920. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the status of the review of specialist training programmes; when will this review be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47158/26]
922. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether his Department or the Higher Education Authority holds data on the nationalities of academic teaching staff employed in higher education institutions; if so, the number of such staff by nationality in each of the years 2020 to 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter…
535. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether Ukrainian students under temporary protection will be treated as EU or non-EU students for college places, fees and grants in the 2026/27 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46476/26]
539. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether Ukrainian students who have completed Leaving Certificate or QQI/PLC courses in Ireland will be eligible for SUSI or other supports for third-level study in 2026/27; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46477/26]
542. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the buildings and lands associated with St. Patrick's Carlow College have been valued; and if so, the estimated value. [46729/26]