Results 481-500 of 1,034,348 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Simon Coveney OR speaker:Martin Heydon OR speaker:Gary Gannon)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Accommodation (25 Jun 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: It is just a statement of fact that there is nowhere near the necessary accommodation to meet demand. The accommodation that is available is not in any way affordable to people. The Minister talked about his experience of being in digs in the city of Cork. In my college experience in the city of Dublin 25 years ago, it was digs, private rented and shared accommodation, all on a maintenance...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Accommodation (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Not to point out the obvious, but we do not own the accommodation. In most of the cases, it is private. In Dublin, for instance, at the end of May 2024, the data that the universities provided themselves, as well as for digs accommodation for Maynooth, shows that there were 140 rooms for Trinity, 228 rooms for UCD, 217 for DCU, and 174 for Maynooth. It behoves all Deputies to recognise the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: As the Deputy will be aware, there is currently no borrowing framework in place for the technological university sector. Housing for All contains a number of key actions relating to student accommodation, one of which involves the examination of a borrowing framework and financing options for the technological universities. The TU study is progressing in tandem with the standardised...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (25 Jun 2024)

Mairead Farrell: What I understand from what the Minister is saying is that TU proposals are coming in at the moment and there may be potential delivery in quarter 1 2025 or that will be when a decision will be made. I raised this matter earlier this year with the previous Minister, who is now Taoiseach, and he indicated to me there would be a change in the initial approach. Rather than having institutions...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: All options, including but not limited to a borrowing framework, will be considered in this regard. I visited the Munster Technological University in Kerry last week to look at the science, technology, engineering and maths building that is in bundle 1 of the PPP. This is not exclusively about borrowing capacity. It is important to point out that direct Exchequer funding is being used by a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (25 Jun 2024)

Mairead Farrell: The point I am making is that there would have to be a review by the CSO and approval by Eurostat in order for technological universities to be able to borrow off-balance sheet. The premise of my question is whether that is currently in train rather than it being on-balance sheet. I am referring specifically to student accommodation because it was my understanding that Ts were promised at...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: PPPs have their place in the economy as well as direct Exchequer funding for capital works. In a previous role we would have discussed this topic at length. PPPs have their place and are important. The structure of them, how they are laid out, the impact they have in terms of cost for the service user, in this case the student for accommodation, and site acquisition are something that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Adult Education Provision (25 Jun 2024)

Adult Education Provision

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Adult Education Provision (25 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: 60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the current situation with respect to employment contracts for adult educators; his future plans, if any, in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27019/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Adult Education Provision (25 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: I want to give the Minister of State an opportunity to inform the House with respect to the current situation regarding employment contracts for adult educators and whether he has any plans to review these contracts, improve on them and to make them more career-friendly. Will he outline what the future holds for this important sector?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Adult Education Provision (25 Jun 2024)

Niall Collins: A proposal was issued to staff representatives last year to establish a new grade of adult educator, with a standardised pay scale aligned with the Youthreach resource person scale. A number of issues arose in subsequent negotiations with staff representatives on the implementation of the proposal. These issues have since been resolved and agreement reached on a revised offer to tutors...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Adult Education Provision (25 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the Minister of State for his response and congratulate him on the work being done in this area, which seems to be very progressive. Will he comment on incremental pay rates and career progression in this important sector? Many adult educators work with some quite vulnerable clients and students who need a lot of help and assistance to progress. In some instances, there is no...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Adult Education Provision (25 Jun 2024)

Niall Collins: I thank the Deputy and will make a couple of other observations. The cost of this deal have been estimated at €2.6 million assuming all tutors assimilate. However, the actual cost will be dependent on the numbers of tutors who opt to assimilate into the new grade. We have asked the ETBs to maintain records to facilitate the identification of the costs. The Deputy asked about the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artificial Intelligence (25 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the Minister for his response. Deputy Bruton has requested that I ask whether the Minister will comment on the potential for individualised learning paths that AI opens up and its impact on teaching and learning and the complications for assessment methods for distinguishing student knowledge from machine-generated content. It is a cause of huge concern in some third-level...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artificial Intelligence (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I thank Deputy Stanton. The answer is "Yes". In my first response, I stated this was one of the greatest risks to the integrity of the third-level sector - and to the second-level sector to a degree - when it comes to ensuring what is submitted by the learner or the student is the work of the learner or the student rather than the work of somebody else. That is going to be very...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artificial Intelligence (25 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: Would the Minister agree this whole area is moving at an incredibly fast pace? Some of the very large companies are investing not millions but billions in the area and it has the potential to change everything as we know it. Will the Minister comment on the need to modernise the curriculum at third level to reflect the different skills people will need? Will he also address the serious...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artificial Intelligence (25 Jun 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I should have said in my earlier response there are a number of courses that are already developed and in train through the higher and further education systems to see AI for a power of really positive good. It is the higher education institutions themselves, together with the Higher Education Authority, that develop the degree, postgraduate and masters courses. Through academic autonomy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (25 Jun 2024)

Third Level Education

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (25 Jun 2024)

Mairead Farrell: 58. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports available for those students fleeing war from Gaza now studying in Irish institutions. [26570/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (25 Jun 2024)

Mairead Farrell: We have seen huge solidarity with the people of Gaza across Ireland. We have also seen that solidarity in our universities at the likes of Trinity, UCD and UCC. We also have seen students who have fled Gaza and who are now studying in Irish institutions. That is extremely welcome and I am interested to learn what supports are available for them.