I thank Deputy Smith for the question. The national development plan commits to a step up in investment in further education and training infrastructure. As the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, outlined, under plans being developed by my Department it is projected that expenditure will increase from less than €20 million in capital funding for further education and training in 2020 to approximately €100 million per year by 2025. That will give the Deputy a sense of the stepped increase. There are more than 35 pro…

I thank Deputies Brendan Smith and Niamh Smyth for making the case very forcefully for Cavan Institute. I genuinely enjoyed my visit to Cavan Institute and was extremely impressed by what I saw. That followed on from a virtual meeting we had with Cavan Institute. I know that both Deputies understand that I am taking a very personal and active interest in this project. Commitments were made to Cavan Institute and commitments were made to Dunboyne College. I believe those commitments need to be honoured in addition t…

As a Fine Gael Minister, I feel in a very difficult position almost having to referee between the levels of enthusiasm for the project from both Fianna Fáil Deputies, Deputy Brendan Smith and Deputy Niamh Smyth. I notice the very significant links they have with the project. In the interests of keeping the coalition together I should mention my colleagues the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and Senator Joe O'Reilly. We have had very good visits, very good engagement and very good support from Oireachtas Members on this…

It is tough being the referee.

Of course, my Department does not refuse people the SUSI grant; my Department sets the criteria under which people may apply, as is the case with any Government grant. I acknowledge the very serious issue that the Deputy and his office have consistently highlighted in engagements with my office on the need to reform and overhaul the SUSI grant system. I accept that the system is rigid. I accept that a system which made progress in consolidating student grants from VECs across the country needs to significantly catc…

The Deputy is talking about a specific case, as is his right. I do not have the information available to me on a case. Obviously, appeal mechanisms are available. A system that does not understand the needs is a very significant concern. I acknowledge that and I am happy to engage with the Deputy on this specific case. This is a scheme based on income thresholds. It is there to support the most vulnerable, the most marginalised and those most in need of assistance based on the income level in their household. The D…

I am always happy to be accountable and I am very well aware of my role in this House. I am also conscious that the Deputy's supplementary contribution is out of order but, to be helpful, I am happy to answer. The Freedom of Information Act, as the Deputy will be well aware, should not in any way be open to political interference in the form of any Government Minister deciding what should or should not be issued. The laws of this House are very clear on that. Lest there be any doubt, I had no role in any issuing of…

I must admit, I am aware of it only because the Deputy has kindly brought it to my attention, for which I thank him. I have asked my officials to provide me with a viewpoint on it in the context of our overall work on the importance of mathematics and of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, in general, and the needs of our students, our economy and our society. I will revert to the Deputy on that matter. Developing a strong supply of science, technology, engineering and maths graduates is critica…

I will come back to the Deputy on that. I thank him for bringing it to my attention. The Deputy highlights an extremely important issue. We talk about how to increase the number of STEM graduates. That is important and we have made considerable progress on it. We often talk about that just in the context of the student, which is important, but we do not often talk about it in the context of how we upskill and support the teacher in how he or she teaches the student to help him or her get to the level of mathematics…

The challenge to deliver suitably qualified graduates to meet the demands of the public and private sectors is a fundamental focus for my Department. It needs to be and is a fundamental focus for the Government and this House, I am quite sure, across the entire skills system, including tertiary. I often say to students when I meet leaving certificate classes that everybody in the Dáil says we need to build more houses, and we do, but I am not going to build a house, and if every Member of the Dáil were to come toge…

To respond to Deputy Durkan, the short answer is "Yes". I want to work with the tourism and hospitality sector. We have already shown that when we worked with the Irish Hotels Federation to put in place a range of upskilling and reskilling programmes. Its members wanted to use the difficult times of the Covid restrictions when they were not able to open their premises to provide their staff with the skills they might not have had the opportunity or time to develop during a busy season. We remain willing and able to…

I was delighted to begin the introduction of this legislation in the House last night before the House adjourned for the evening. I believe this is important legislation for reforming and modernising how we govern the higher education sector. It needs to be seen alongside a broader programme of reform of the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, student grant scheme, reducing the cost of education, making sure there is education for all, and creating a unified, integrated third level system across apprenticeship…

We are on track for 1 May and I commit to that meeting.

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am very pleased to have this opportunity to address the House on Second Stage of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2022. Last year was the first full year of operation for the new Department and, before I speak to the House on the specifics of this legislation, I will take the opportunity to thank and commend the students and staff of our colleges, universities and institutes of higher and further education who returned to campuses and classes this academic yea…

I thank the Senator for tabling this important debate today about Dundalk IT and crucially about ensuring we have a technological university for the north east of the country. I also thank the Senator for keeping this item on the political agenda and for all the engagement and discussions we have had on it. Let me be really clear. The north east is not going to be left behind. The Government, my Department and I are absolutely committed to ensuring that the north east has a technological university or is part of a …

I thank Senator McGahon. When people look back on 2021, they will see it as a very significant year for making progress for the north east in respect of education, including higher education and the future of DkIT. It will be the year in which there was an agreed plan based on the vision, in which funding was put in place and in which the expert adviser was appointed. I should have said in my comments on section 38 that there will be no blockages in my Department or the HEA in progressing any application that comes…

I thank the Deputy for the question. Obviously, the support and well-being of students are a major priority for me and my Department. They are a major priority for all Members of the House and we have endeavoured to reflect that in the significant steps to increase funding for this purpose. Like the Deputy, I am very conscious of the pressures on students, including those arising from the pandemic as well as from increased costs of living. As I will outline, I have secured significant funding to support the student…

As the Deputy will know, the SUSI scheme is demand led. I can set the criteria and I can improve the criteria, but ultimately it is a demand-led scheme. Money can only be drawn down from that scheme where applicants qualify for that scheme. As of 21 November, just a few days ago, SUSI had received almost 97,000 applications. Almost 94,000 of them have been assessed of which 74,600 have been assessed as eligible for support for this year. This is SUSI's tenth year in operation. I share the Deputy's view that the SUS…

The Deputy said students need clarity on it; I believe students have clarity on it. Tomorrow I will meet all student union presidents throughout the country in a meeting convened by the Union of Students in Ireland, USI. We regularly and I personally engage with student unions. I take the point about the millions. It is peculiar for the Deputy to suggest that because we are providing such a large amount of funding, it is difficult to navigate. I am saying to student unions on the ground and to college presidents th…

I do not think we are allowed to repeat the title of the demonstration in this House.