Advancing the technological university, TU, and institute of technology, IoT, sector is a major priority for Government, and for me. This is evidenced by significant targeted investment over many years and demonstrates our commitment to balanced regional development, building research and innovation capacity and with it, Ireland’s global competitiveness, all while increasing access to university education for more students and delivering it on a regional basis as the TUs are doing. My Department has provided extens…

I am aware of the report. I have read it. I should say that has not yet been peer reviewed. It is a draft report by two academics in, I think, Tralee that is in circulation . I am open to all feedback and suggestions, but I add the caveat that it has not yet been peer reviewed. Other academics I have spoken to do not think it will pass the peer review process, but that is open-ended. It is a curious report in many ways. One of the claims it contains is to the effect that the planned amalgamation between Dundalk Ins…

I am always open to feedback. The academics and authors of that report are entitled to their views, as are others. I just do not share all of their conclusions. As the Deputy said, the consultant spending was before my time. A lot of it was before the Department even existed. The TU sector on the whole has been an enormous success, however. We now have TUs up and down the country. We have regional universities in Letterkenny, Tralee and Waterford, places which never had university status before. There are many othe…

I thank the Deputy. I wish all students sitting examinations the very best of luck, as well as all those students who are coming to an end of their secondary education, whether they are going to college, further education or elsewhere. Like the Deputy, I will not get much of a break. While this House breaks up in two or three weeks’ time, I will host the European research Ministers the week after that. There are a number of engagements over the summer as part of the Presidency. We will all be busy in our constituen…

I am committed to continue to reduce the cost of college and support measures, including fee reductions, wherever I can. Let us talk to the two cohorts the Deputy mentioned. Students sleeping in cars is an appalling vista. Of course, no student should be in that situation. If those students are paying fees, something has gone badly wrong. The only students who should be paying full fees – they are €2,500 because they have been reduced by €500 on a flat rate – are those students in households with an income above €1…

I agree with what the Deputy said. For the record, it is €120,000 rather than €100,000. I increased the threshold last year. Indeed, the Tánaiste, when he held this portfolio, increased it before me. We have continued to increase that threshold to the level that up to 70% of Irish households now qualify for at least some form of fee subvention. In fact, all benefit from the universal measures but 70% of households are now eligible for other supports. The Deputy mentioned the scenario of multiple children from a hou…

For some students, commuting to college may be a practical choice if they live close to campus. For many others, however, it is not a choice; it is a necessity. This is not about preferences; it arises as a result of accommodation shortages. Two of my daughters recently commuted to college, so I understand it gives rise to an additional burden and can be an impediment in terms of full participation in campus life. One of the things I have said is that it is an absolute goal of mine to allow students to have the ful…

I talk to students all the time. I have almost daily interactions with them. I also meet formally with AMLÉ on a regular basis. I sad down with its representatives very recently and had a good chat. That is an ongoing conversation I am involved in. In terms of what initiatives can be taken, I welcome the Deputy’s reference to Professor Thomas's report. If she wants to share it with me, I will be to look at it and see if we can action some of the recommendations it contains. One thing we are actioning is a new pilot…

I used to commute by train and would try to get a bit of work done, but it depends on the nature of a person's journey and whether they suffer from travel sickness or whatever. This goes back to the core point I made at the start that while some students might find it convenient and preferable, it would be really unfair to suggest - and I would never do so - that students are doing it by choice in all cases. Some people just have no choice and would prefer to have accommodation close to campus. That is why we have …

As the Deputy said, very fairly and positively, investing in Ireland’s apprenticeship system is a central priority for me, as Minister, and my Department. Investment in the apprenticeship system has more than doubled, from a base of €184 million in 2020 to more than €415 million this year. That is very significant increase in investment in the apprenticeship sector. It reflects the Government's focus on the apprenticeship system and includes support staff, administrative staff and staff in other roles. I am not awa…

A few recent recruitment drives have been undertaken. SOLAS launched a recruitment campaign in late 2024 for new further education and training, FET, instructor staff nationwide. A campaign was run in the national media looking to recruit those personnel. One of the outputs of that saw the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB in Loughlinstown fill a number of electrical instructor posts through a radio advertising campaign. Another five training centres in the City of Dublin ETB were also supported through that. There were…

I entirely agree. I thank Deputy Kenny for his support and the support of his party on the broader policy initiative. What he says is true. I have visited MTU in Tralee. I have visited all of the different technological universities, TUs, and their components at least once, if not a few times. I recently held a construction skills roundtable event in UCD where we brought together the employers in the construction space, the trade unions and the training agencies - SOLAS, the ETBs and the HEA for a conversation on e…

As the Deputy is aware, Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland - was established in 2024 with the legislative remit to promote excellence and research across all activity fields and disciplines. Its first strategy was published this March following extensive consultation. I am satisfied that the strategy meets the legislative remit of the agency. The strategy and the publicly available programme plan accord with my own central philosophy, which applies just two very simple criteria to all disciplines: research should b…

There were seven bullet points in the letter. I think six of them have been accepted as perhaps not being of the same level of concern as they were. The engagement was helpful in that regard because of the engagement with the authors on a number of those points. I strongly reject the assertion of a corporate culture. Again, maybe it is a little bit political and subjective. I appreciate that the Deputy is entitled to say it but I do not think it is a fair characterisation. There is no requirement whatsoever that th…

I do not think it actually does say that. I say that in a genuine spirit of partnership. I am not trying to catch the Deputy out or correct him. If he can find where it says that and bring it to my attention, I would welcome him doing so and we will have a look at it. I know the letter makes those claims but I do not think they are borne out in a detailed study of the strategy. If they are, it is not something I would support. I have been on the record of this House for many years saying that we need to support res…

As I said to Deputy Eoghan Kenny a few moments ago, craft and construction apprenticeships are central to delivering vital infrastructure, including housing, and sustaining economic growth. As Minister, I have prioritised annual investment in apprenticeship delivery, which has more than doubled since my Department was established, going from €184 million in 2020 to over €415 million in 2026. Our apprenticeship system has, accordingly, continued to grow. Overall registrations increased by 78%, from just under 5,500 …

I think that is fair. We are trying through Government policy to encourage people at different life stages to enter the apprenticeship journey. I agree that it is not just young people coming out of school and going into apprenticeships any more. There are people crossing over. I met a number of apprentices, including people mid-career and at mid-life stages, some of whom had families and other commitments, so I get that. It is true, though, that if you take the usual alternative scenario of a full-time higher educ…

There is a framework in place where the trade unions and employers engage together on setting rates. The relevant legislation falls under the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment as opposed to my own Department. The minimum wage laws are part of the Industrial Training Act 1967 and the Labour Services Act 1987. All apprentices are, of course, employees. During the on-the-job phase of an apprenticeship, they are paid a wage by their employer. Neither SOLAS nor my Department is responsible for setting the…

I thank the Deputy. The CAO processes applications for undergraduate courses in higher education. Unlike higher education, apprenticeships are different. They are employment-led programmes that start in the workplace. The apprentices are employed, registered with SOLAS and training is a combination of on-the-job work experience and structured off-the-job training. Part of the process of starting an apprenticeship is finding an employer and arranging with that employer to take the apprentice on. It is a little bit m…

The Deputy is right. We need to continue to promote this pathway. My Department is very industrious and engaged on that front. Among a number of things, we launched the careers in construction action plan and relaunched it recently with a number of actions. There are over 20 actions related to the promotion of training opportunities and activities to make students and would be apprentices aware and to encourage greater gender balance across the apprenticeship sector, particularly craft apprenticeships. On Internati…