Results 1,261-1,280 of 1,076,911 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Ciarán Cuffe OR speaker:Alan Kelly OR speaker:Francis Noel Duffy)

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The Deputy is likely aware that the rate of pay of an apprentice is a contractual matter between the employer and the apprentice, depending on the nature of the apprenticeship. If it is a craft or consortia-led apprenticeship, it may come under a sectoral employment order, but it is sometimes governed by contract. Breaches of the contract, if any, come under the remit of the Payment of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2025)

Donna McGettigan: SOLAS was at last week's committee meeting, when we were told nobody was overseeing that these things were happening. A percentage of apprentices said that they do not have any access to a training adviser. Some of them are afraid to complain in case they lose their apprenticeship place. Some of them are given an agreed wage through collective bargaining but are not getting that wage or...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Actually, that is exactly what happened. It was said and it happened in the last three budgets. Exactly the same process is playing out in this year as it did in every other year. I have listened with great sympathy and great interest to, and I have taken note of the detail of, many of the cases raised in debates in the House and elsewhere and a great number of students and their...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

Pearse Doherty: By household.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Everybody under that threshold will get some support and many will get far more fulsome support. Sixty-five thousand students will get a full grant support from Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI. One hundred and forty-three thousand students will have their tuition fees paid by the State. Those thresholds go up, again and again. I intend to revisit all of those measures in October...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

Third Level Fees

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

Eoghan Kenny: 97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the programme for Government commitment to continue to reduce the student contribution fee over the lifetime of the Government, as of July 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37316/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

Eoghan Kenny: I realise that we have just had a debate on this. I seek an update on the programme for Government to continue to reduce the student contribution fee over the lifetime of the Government, as of July 2025.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I acknowledge the Deputy's integrity and interest in this subject. We have had a number of discussions on it in the past. The Deputy commented in the previous debate. Indeed, Deputy McGettigan did also, in fairness. Both Deputies, as spokespersons for their respective parties, engaged in the process constructively and I welcome that. I would ask that we continue that engagement. When...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

Eoghan Kenny: I do not doubt the Minister's bona fides on this. It spans - the Minister referred to it there quite lightly - a number of Departments. We have significant challenges in housing. We have significant challenges in a different cost-of-living crises in terms of paying for groceries, for example, running a car, and the different type of relationship one has with parents at home on whether they...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I appreciate that. It is worth putting on record some of the increases that are already kicking in for this September. The threshold for 100% payment of the student contribution grant - this is aside from SUSI maintenance grants, which are paid out to help with the living expenses of students - rises from €55,924 to €64,315. That means that 44,500 extra people will now...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

Eoghan Kenny: The debate the Minister referred to in his first contribution is essential. It is important and we all need to contribute towards that. The only question I have in relation to the student support facility that is in place is that the emails I am receiving tell me that they cannot afford this new measure and this new cost. I then go back to people and ask them whether they have applied...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I acknowledge that. We have heard talk in the past week about a scheduled increase and a plan and an increase and an announcement of increases. Let us be clear. We have had none of that. There has been a lot of hyperbole. Some of the Opposition leaders and others have hyped it up a little bit. I suggest they listen to the interview that I gave on RTÉ and maybe read the transcript....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Bodies (8 Jul 2025)

Departmental Bodies

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Bodies (8 Jul 2025)

Donna McGettigan: 98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for information on the decision behind the cut of €1.3 million from SOLAS to the Tipperary Education and Training Board, which has resulted in the cancellation of a valuable programme for early school leavers at Cashel local training initiative, which affects 14 students who will be unable to complete their studies and progress to level...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Bodies (8 Jul 2025)

Donna McGettigan: Could the Minister give me some information on the decision behind the cut of €1.3 million from SOLAS to the Tipperary Education and Training Board which has resulted in the cancellation of a valuable programme for early school leavers at Cashel local training initiative, LTI, which affects 14 students who will be unable to complete their studies and progress to level 5, and if he will...

Student Fees: Motion [Private Members] (8 Jul 2025)

Donna McGettigan: Does the fact that we have to repeatedly bring forward this motion not show the Minister how important it is to us? It repeatedly has to be brought forward because of repeated broken promises by the Minister and the Government. That is why we have to come here, year in, year out, and that is why the students in the Visitors Gallery have to come here to watch us do this again. I was the...

Student Fees: Motion [Private Members] (8 Jul 2025)

Amendment put.

Student Fees: Motion [Private Members] (8 Jul 2025)

Verona Murphy: In accordance with Standing Order 85(2), the division is postponed until the next weekly division time tomorrow evening.

Message from Select Committee (8 Jul 2025)