Results 181-200 of 1,048,686 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Marc Ó Cathasaigh OR speaker:Jim O'Callaghan OR speaker:James O'Connor OR speaker:Denis Naughten OR speaker:Seán Crowe OR speaker:John Lahart OR speaker:Violet-Anne Wynne OR speaker:Gary Gannon) in 'Committee meetings'

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (8 Oct 2024)

Niall Collins: The key to student accommodation is the same as it is for housing: to increase the supply. We must bring on more supply to address the demand. We also have an obligation to try to reduce costs. That is the reason we put a lot of work into the standard design for purpose-built student accommodation, which is similar to the school building programme, for example, whereby there is a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (8 Oct 2024)

Third Level Education

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (8 Oct 2024)

Mairead Farrell: 3. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills regarding changes to Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, thresholds made in budget 2025, the estimated additional number of students who will now qualify for the grant. [40347/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (8 Oct 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: Could I ask the Minister of State about the changes to the SUSI thresholds, as per budget 2025? Could he provide an estimate for the additional number of students who will now qualify for the grant? That is the information we seek. We are all well aware that students are struggling with the cost of living and the cost of accommodation, as per the previous question. If more people can...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (8 Oct 2024)

Niall Collins: We are pleased to be in a position to increase all income threshold limits for student grants in budget 2025. From September 2025, we are increasing the special rate of maintenance threshold from €26,200 to €27,400 in line with social welfare increases. We are increasing all other maintenance and student contribution grant thresholds by 15%. We are also increasing the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (8 Oct 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: We all know from people who approach us in our offices, that some miss out on the basis of what are sometimes very small amounts. We are talking about people that do not necessarily earn spectacular amounts of money, and who are under severe pressure. It would make a great difference to increase the number of those availing of a SUSI grant, or to provide an increased level of grant. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (8 Oct 2024)

Niall Collins: In addition to what I outlined in my previous contribution, we have also introduced a number of other measures to reduce the cost of education, including providing €9 million to increase the PhD stipend from €22,000 to €25,000 per annum. That will benefit approximately 3,000 postgraduates. As the House will be aware, we have a one-off reduction in the student...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Oct 2024)

Niall Collins: I thank the Deputy. There has been a high demand from employers and learners alike for craft apprenticeship in recent years, reflecting a strong construction sector and the Government's commitment to the targets within Housing for All and the climate action plan, and to the delivery of the national development plan. Craft apprentice registrations increased by 25% from 2019 to 2023. As a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Oct 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: We all know there have been major backlogs in the apprenticeship system. We all know of the necessity of apprenticeships across the board and particularly craft apprenticeships. It is not uncommon for apprentices wait for up to 18 months to be called for the relevant phase of their off-the-job training, whether in a technical university, TU, or education and training board, ETB. There has...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Oct 2024)

Niall Collins: I will clarify a point because I may have misspoken earlier. The number of training places has grown by 40% since the end of 2023, from over 5,600 places in December 2023 to 7,500 places in August 2024. As I previously said to the Deputy, over 130 instructor posts have been sanctioned to date. As I said, 80 such posts have been filled. The Deputy asked for a timeline. The remaining posts...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Oct 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I welcome that information. We need to see this happen quicker and better. It is as simple as that. Some of the difficulty with the backlog and filling the spaces is that some of these qualified tradespeople can earn more on site than in the classroom. In its alternative budget, Sinn Féin set out €4.4 million in financial...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Oct 2024)

Niall Collins: The Deputy is asking what else can be done to help to reduce the backlog. The National Apprenticeship Office launched a recruitment campaign across several media in November. That campaign used a centralised National Apprenticeship Office platform for applications. Added to that, a new advanced block approval process for the posts was put in place and the approval process was delivered...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (8 Oct 2024)

Student Accommodation

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (8 Oct 2024)

Mairead Farrell: 2. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding that will go to each university for the delivery of student accommodation beds; and the timeline for when construction will commence. [40346/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (8 Oct 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: I ask the Minister of State to outline the funding that will go to each university for the delivery of student accommodation beds. Will he provide a timeline for when construction will begin? We all understand that the price of accommodation at third level is an enormous issue for students and, in many cases, for their families. A considerable number of people will miss out on their...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (8 Oct 2024)

Niall Collins: Through budget 2025, we secured €6 million of annual recurrent funding to support the activation of up to 1,200 student accommodation beds in regional campus locations. A leasing programme is being developed as a key deliverable arising from the recent TU student accommodation study. At least 30% of the beds delivered through this programme will be provided at below market rate to a...

Spending of Public Funds by the Government: Motion [Private Members] (8 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: Much has been said during this debate about the ongoing waste of public money. I thank everybody who took part in the debate. I would like to get answers to a few questions. Does the Government think it is value for money to pay €9 million for mobile phone pouches? Was it value for money to pay €336,000 for a bike shed? Was it value for money to pay €440,000 for a...

Spending of Public Funds by the Government: Motion [Private Members] (8 Oct 2024)

Pearse Doherty: Hear, hear.

Spending of Public Funds by the Government: Motion [Private Members] (8 Oct 2024)

Mark Ward: Its decision to propose this amendment today tells me that the Government is simply not listening. It is not listening to children who are languishing on mental health waiting lists. It is not listening to children who are waiting for assessments of need. The Government is not listening to children who cannot get special education places. It is not listening to children who are on waiting...

Spending of Public Funds by the Government: Motion [Private Members] (8 Oct 2024)

Pearse Doherty: Hear, hear.