Results 981-1,000 of 1,181,849 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:John Carty OR speaker:Roderic O'Gorman OR speaker:Kieran O'Donnell OR speaker:Seán Fleming OR speaker:Mary Lou McDonald OR speaker:Darren O'Rourke OR speaker:Martin Heydon OR speaker:Francis Noel Duffy OR speaker:Imelda Munster OR speaker:Matt Shanahan OR speaker:Ivana Bacik OR speaker:Jennifer Whitmore OR speaker:Ossian Smyth OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae OR speaker:Jackie Cahill OR speaker:Simon Harris OR speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn OR speaker:Charlie McConalogue OR speaker:Niall Collins OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:Helen McEntee OR speaker:Verona Murphy OR speaker:Gino Kenny OR speaker:Claire Kerrane OR speaker:Pádraig O'Sullivan OR speaker:Louise O'Reilly OR speaker:Denise Mitchell OR speaker:Jim O'Callaghan OR speaker:Pat Buckley OR speaker:Mairead Farrell OR speaker:Cormac Devlin OR speaker:Brendan Howlin OR speaker:Sorca Clarke OR speaker:Norma Foley OR speaker:David Cullinane OR speaker:Pa Daly OR speaker:Paschal Donohoe OR speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan OR speaker:Darragh O'Brien OR speaker:Matt Carthy OR speaker:Patrick Costello OR speaker:Dessie Ellis OR speaker:Eamon Ryan)

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Mairead Farrell: In the future, though it should be immediate, we need to figure out what exactly affordable student accommodation is. Everybody needs to come together. I know we are waiting on the student accommodation strategy, which USI has raised countless times with me and, I am sure, with the Minister. It is frustrating that we still do not have that. We need to bring USI, the Department, Irish...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Mairead Farrell: My time is up. I thank the witnesses. They do significant work, which is stressful because they are dealing with people in serious crisis situations. It is trying to figure out how to help them. In many cases, unfortunately, there is very little help for people. Fair play to USI. I look forward to joining the witnesses on their protest.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: I welcome members of the Department before the committee this afternoon. In order for us to respond adequately to the financial challenges that are faced by students, we need to know how many of them are being forced out of third level as a result of financial pressures. Can Mr. Moynes tell us if there are any statistics on that or any way we can get that information?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: If a student drops out, is there any follow-up with them? What happens with regard to the Department’s knowledge of their disappearance?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: Does Mr. Moynes believe it would be beneficial if third level institutions were to automatically follow up with students who drop out? I am conscious they may not get a response but if we are trying to get this information, we need to look at third level institutions following up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: The biggest financial challenge that students face and we have just discussed this with the USI, is the cost of accommodation, particularly for students who are not living at home. What is the Department doing to try to encourage third level institutions to consider the construction of accommodation on campus? Also, what can the Department do to ensure that such accommodation as is put on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: Is USI concerned about the fact that the prices at which some of the student accommodation that has been established are set are designed for conferences more than for the student? This is a concern of, I think, UCD students.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Mairead Farrell: I am sorry that I was delayed. I have another committee meeting as well. The main issue that consistently comes up from students is accommodation. How many have dropped out at this point because they are unable to get accommodation? If they do not have the data for this year, are the numbers for last year available?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Mairead Farrell: Is USI going to compile it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Mr. Dunican.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Mr. Dunican for that answer. There are about nine higher education institutions that offer courses through the CAO which are not approved for SUSI grants. Are there any signs that discrepancy is going to be addressed? How does Mr. Moynes think that is going to progress?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Verona Murphy: We were at €289 million. Is this the same person who was contracted to provide the modular build? Is a different contractor providing the solar panels?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Verona Murphy: Mr. Conlon, as Chair of the OPW, is telling this committee and the public in general that the final cost of the modular build at an A1 rating, including solar panels fitted, is €442,000.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Verona Murphy: That is not the question. The cost per unit is currently €442,000. Is Mr. Conlon saying that is without the fitting of solar panels? Is it the case that when that is completed, the cost is not going to change?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Verona Murphy: Will the cost change from €442,000 per unit?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Verona Murphy: He expects it to stay the same.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Verona Murphy: That is an undertaking that we have, even though the project is three times over the initial budget. What happened that meant an estimate of €100 million ended up costing nearly three times that?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Verona Murphy: It did not turn out to be much of an emergency response. It took nearly 20 months longer to put the units in place. As for the sites, ere they ever zoned for housing or serviced in any shape or form? Was the figure of €100 million a cost that went out to tender to Sisk or did Sisk come in with that price?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Verona Murphy: Was the figure of €100 million an amount that was tendered or was it the proposed cost of the project given to Sisk?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Verona Murphy: Did Sisk tender for €100 million?