Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:858. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the timeframe for direct referral for oncology patients to the oncology ward to be implemented in Cork University Hospital. [35517/23]
View answerHospital Admissions
Questions (858)
Written answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Question No. 859 answered with Question No. 853.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Questions (860)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:860. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the wating list for cataracts surgery in Cork broken down by whether they are waiting by 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months. [35519/23]
View answerWritten answers
It is recognised that waiting times for many scheduled appointments and procedures were too long before and have been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) to identify ways to improve access to care. On the 7th March, I published the 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, which is the next stage of a new multi-annual approach to sustainably reduce and reform hospital waiting lists, and builds on the foundational work done through the short-term Waiting List Action Plan between September and December 2021, which was followed by the first full year Waiting List Action Plan for 2022, both having reversed the annual trend of rising waiting lists.
The 2023 Plan sets out the priorities to continue to address waiting lists this year. The 30 actions in the Plan, which are governed by the Waiting List Task Force, focus on delivering capacity, reforming scheduled care and enabling scheduled care reform.
For 2023, funding totalling €443 million is being allocated to tackle Waiting Lists with €363 million of this being allocated to the 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, to implement longer term reforms and provide additional public and private activity to clear backlogs exacerbated during the pandemic. This will reduce hospital waiting lists by 10% in 2023 as well as continuing to significantly reduce waiting times in line with Sláintecare recommendations. The remaining €80 million of the €443 million is being targeted at various measures to alleviate community/primary care waiting lists.
With this ambitious 2023 Waiting List Action Plan, my Department, the HSE and the NTPF are taking the next steps in the multi-annual approach towards achieving our vision of a world-class public healthcare system in which everyone has timely and transparent access to high-quality scheduled care, where and when they need it, in line with Sláintecare reforms.
In relation to the particular query raised by the Deputy, the attached information, provided to my Department by the NTPF sets out the numbers waiting for a cataract procedure by area of residence in Cork in six monthly time bands.
The NTPF has advised that to preserve confidentiality and mitigate against identification or self-identification of individuals, the time-bands have been condensed to reduce the small volumes associated with the level of detail requested by the Deputy.
Hospital Procedures
Questions (861)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:861. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the number of elective surgeries and procedures cancelled by specialty at Cork University Hospital and Mercy University Hospital for each month in of the past three years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35520/23]
View answerWritten answers
As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Departmental Appointments
Questions (862)
Michael Ring
Question:862. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of personnel in his Department at Principal Officer level or above who, on retiring from that position, were subsequently appointed to a State or semi-State board over the past ten years. [34924/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour details the requirements for all staff members on the acceptance of outside appointments following resignation or retirement where the nature and terms of such appointment could lead to a conflict of interest or the perception of such. In addition, it also states that civil servants who hold positions which are “designated positions” for the purposes of the Ethics Acts shall not, within twelve months of resigning or retiring from the service, accept an offer of appointment from an employer outside the Civil Service or accept an engagement in a particular consultancy project, where the nature and terms of such appointment or engagement could lead to a conflict of interest, without first obtaining approval from the appropriate authority.
The filling of board posts for bodies under the aegis of my Department is informed by guidance issued by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDR) which codifies the processes for the filling of vacancies.
In line with DPENDR's guidance, my Department uses the Public Appointments Service (PAS) which has responsibility for managing an accessible and transparent process. Applications are made through the dedicated website www.stateboards.ie . This website is used by PAS to both inform the public of vacancies and to collate expressions of interest in vacancies. An assessment process is undertaken by PAS leading to the creation of a list of candidates suitable for appointments to boards. My Department does not retain records of the previous employment history of the board member who has been assessed though a transparent recruitment process as being suitable for the position.
A full list of board members serving on State Boards under the remit of my department is available through the website below.
Boards under Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (stateboards.ie)
Further and Higher Education
Questions (863)
David Cullinane
Question:863. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost of expanding health and social care undergraduate places by 10%; and the number of course places this would generate, by course, in tabular form. [35124/23]
View answerWritten answers
The matter of health workforce planning and ensuring an appropriate pipeline of qualified healthcare workers within Ireland is a major priority for my Department.As the Deputy will be aware, Higher Education Institutions are autonomous institutions responsible for their own academic affairs including the curriculum and student numbers on individual courses. Where the State seeks to see an increase in student numbers in a particular field of study, a specific engagement with the sector may be undertaken to determine the feasibility of securing the provision of additional places. For example, in March I received recommendations from the HEA in respect of the Expressions of Interest process that sought submissions regarding possible expansion of places in five disciplines – Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, and Veterinary.
The costs incurred by a Higher Education Institution in increasing student places on a particular course can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the individual circumstances of the relevant Higher Education Institution. It is therefore, not possible to definitively calculate the costs sought.
Specifically in relation to health and social care professions, officials from my Department are engaging with Higher Education Institutions to ascertain possible expansion on existing programmes from 2023 (including in the health and social care professions). 420 additional healthcare places, including medicine, nursing; pharmacy; clinical measurement science and therapies will be provided from September 2023. In addition, the HEA’s next expression of interest process, which will focus on the expansion of places in allied healthcare areas, will take place later this year. My Department continues to engage with the Departments of Health and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to identify those health areas where there are specific skills shortages and to look at options to address such needs.
Further and Higher Education
Questions (864)
David Cullinane
Question:864. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated full year cost of providing for a scheme to address financial barriers to graduate entry medicine for 100 places. [35138/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy may be aware that the State currently provides supports for broadening access to Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) programmes through the part-subsidy of places for EU students, with the fees payable by the student determined by the higher education institution, taking the availability of this subsidy into account.My Department has been working to address the cost of GEM provision by increasing the subsidy paid to higher education institutions for provision of EU places. In this regard, Budget 2023 saw a significant increase in the amount the State pays for medicine places, including graduate entry. As part of this agreement:
• The State contribution for new GEM places is €14,500 for 2022/23; and
• For existing places, the State contribution towards GEM places is gradually being increased. The subsidy has increased from a rate of €11,950 in the 2021/22 academic year to €12,100 per student in the 2022/23 academic year and will progressively increase over the coming years to the new rate of €14,500.
The development of a scheme to provide for GEM tuition fees would require a specific engagement with providers to agree terms and conditions, including funding arrangements and student numbers. In this regard, it is not possible to estimate potential costs associated with introducing a specific scheme to provide for free tuition fees for 100 GEM places outside of a specific engagement with the sector to enter into such an agreement.
Further and Higher Education
Questions (865)
David Cullinane
Question:865. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated full-year cost of purchasing 100 non-EU medical places for EU students. [35139/23]
View answerWritten answers
The costs incurred by a Higher Education Institution in increasing student places on a particular course can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the individual circumstances of the relevant Higher Education Institution.For non-EU places in medicine, as the Deputy will be aware, the tuition fee payable by non-EU students are determined by the institution attended. In this regard, it is not appropriate to speculate on potential costs to the State of establishing a scheme to secure such places for EU students outside of a specific engagement with the sector to enter into such an agreement.
The matter of health workforce planning and ensuring an appropriate pipeline of qualified healthcare workers within Ireland is a major priority for my Department. In March, I received recommendations from the HEA in respect of an Expressions of Interest process that sought submissions regarding possible expansion of places in five disciplines – Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, and Veterinary. In June, I announced, along with the Minister for Health and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the findings of this report which has identified options that, with investment, would facilitate the training of substantial additional numbers of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentist and vets. This increase is subject to a forthcoming process which will now begin to cross-reference available options with the ongoing demand in the health care and veterinary areas and to agree costs and funding. I will continue to engage closely on this matter with Government colleagues to advance the process with investment to be considered in the context of Budgetary processes and the National Development Plan review.
Grant Payments
Questions (866)
Patricia Ryan
Question:866. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if, with regard to income thresholds for SUSI eligibility, he will examine the refusal of a SUSI grant to a student (details supplied); if he will investigate whether an exception can be made and expedited given, the deadline for response/appeal to SUSI. [35166/23]
View answerWritten answers
Assessment of means under the Student Grant Scheme 2023 is based on gross income from all sources, of the dependent applicant and his/her parents. No deduction is given for outgoings with the exception of pension contributions, legally enforceable maintenance payments and employment related expenses as approved by Revenue.
For the purposes of determining the reckonable income of an applicant, the aggregate overtime shall be deducted for the reference period that are not recurring payments.
The student referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal to the SUSI appeals officer on the 6th June 2023. Documentary evidence that the overtime was non-recurring was requested by the Appeals Officer. SUSI have advised that documents received on 22 June 2023, did not confirm that overtime had ceased and would not recur. The appeal was refused by the SUSI appeals officer and a letter advising of this was sent to the applicant on 23 June 2023.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe. Such appeals can be made by the appellant on line via www.studentgrantappeals.ie .
Further and Higher Education
Questions (867)
Richard Bruton
Question:867. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total number of college places now being made available outside the CAO system in the different schemes; how these have grown over the past five years, to include Springboard, apprenticeships, human capital initiative, skillnet, FET, and his new scheme for entry into certain health and practical skills announced recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35375/23]
View answerWritten answers
It is a priority of my Department to expand the pathways to tertiary education by providing a multitude of routes outside the traditional CAO process.
As the Deputy is aware, there are a range of options in the system that learners can consider. For those who do not gain access to their course of choice via the CAO system, there are many alternative education paths available to them. That could be through FET, apprenticeship, Springboard, the Human Capital Initiative, Skillnet, or the new joint tertiary programmes.
Please find below the total number of places currently being offered to learners across these different schemes, including a breakdown of their growth over the past 5 years.
Further Education and Training (FET)
FET is primarily delivered or contracted by the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) under the funding and strategic direction of SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority. FET provision includes both labour market focused programmes and programmes with a strong social inclusion dimension. FET is available in every community in Ireland, and provides programmes on both a full and part-time basis, including evenings and weekends, as well as blended and online options. There is a broad and diverse range of courses, programmes and supports on offer within FET at levels 1-6 of the NFQ, providing learning and upskilling.
The breakdown of unique-learner enrolments in level 5 and 6 FET courses for the years 2018 – 2022 incl. is in the attached table.
Apprenticeship
The ‘Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025’ was launched in April 2021 and seeks to deliver on a target of 10,000 apprenticeship registrations per annum, across a wide range of programmes, by 2025.
There are currently 69 national apprenticeship programmes available, 25 craft and 44 new consortia led apprenticeships in sectors such as ICT, retail, and biopharma. Many of the new programmes have off-the-job training delivered through on-line or blended learning. This provides a significant opportunity for widening of access to apprenticeship for rural businesses and learners, further contributing to the strong regional dimension which apprenticeship provides.
The positive impacts of APA and resultant measures are already evident in apprentice registrations. 2022 saw 8,286 new apprenticeship registrations, an increase of 34% on the pre-Covid figure in 2019. At the end of 2022 there were over 26,000 people at various stages of their apprenticeship.
Springboard+
Springboard+ complements the core State-funded education and training system and provides free and subsidised upskilling and reskilling higher education opportunities in areas of identified skills need from Level 6 to Level 9 on the NFQ. All courses provide job-readiness training and most offer the opportunity for work placement, project-based learning or industry site visits where appropriate. Since 2011, over €330m has been spent on Springboard+ and over 100,000 people have benefited from the programme to date. In the last 5 years (since 2018) €200m funding provided 53,671 places on 1,540 courses. The attached Springboard+ breakdown has further details.
Human Capital Initiative (HCI)
The Human Capital Initiative (HCI), launched by the government in late 2019, The Human Capital Initiative (HCI) forms a key part of the strategic response to a changing world of work and the challenges the economy will face in the period ahead. With a strong focus on innovation and agility, the programmes being supported will ensure that graduates and the education system as a whole, are in a position to respond positively to the challenges and opportunities ahead.
The HCI consists of 3 main pillars - graduate conversion and specialisation courses, additional places on undergraduate provision, and an innovation and agility fund. Places outside the CAO system have been made available on HCI Pillar 1 and Pillar 3.
HCI Pillar 1, Graduate Conversion Programmes, was launched on 17th June 2020, with 5,891 places being made available on 93 courses over three years. To date, 10,254 places have now been made available on 155 courses. These courses were originally one-year, full time conversion courses at Levels 8 and 9 but HCI Pillar 1 2023 now includes part-time courses. These courses are in areas of identified skills need, building on experience of the ICT Conversion Courses under Springboard+.
HCI Pillar 3, Innovation and Agility, has two key areas of focus – innovation in modes and methods of delivery and an agility fund. It aims to ensure that courses in areas of skills needs demonstrate innovative methods of teaching and delivery, which will include flexibility in course provision. HCI Pillar 3 will deliver 24 projects in higher education institutions, 19 of which involve collaborations between institutions. 22 projects were originally funded in 2020 and an additional 2 projects got funded in 2022. The projects include the use of virtual laboratories in higher education, a new hub to upskill the building sector on green construction, and the establishment of a Creative Futures Academy to support digital and screen culture, cinema, literature and broadcasting, art, design, and fashion.
To date in Pillar 3, over 316 courses funding 3,221 additional places have been developed outside the CAO system. Pillar 3 is exceeding targets, and more places and courses are expected to be delivered and reported on within the lifetime of the project. Breakdowns with further details on HCI P1 and P3 courses are available in the attached spreadsheet.
Skillnet
Skillnet Ireland provides subsidised training to business through learning networks operating nationwide and across all sectors. Skillnet Ireland is funded from the National Training Fund through DFHERIS. In 2022 Skillnet Ireland, through its 71 Skillnet Networks, has provided upskilling programmes to over 87,000 trainees and supported over 25,000 businesses. While the majority of its training programmes are delivered through the Skillnet Business Networks programme, Skillnet Ireland also provides a range of talent and upskilling supports across key thematic areas of climate action, digitalisation, FDI talent and SME leadership and productivity.
Skillnet Ireland are currently compiling a manual review of the total number of college places provided over the past 5 years. This data will be forwarded to the Deputy when available.
Joint Tertiary Programmes
The new joint tertiary programmes were launched on Friday 7th July. From September of this year, students will be able to enrol in one of 23 courses across healthcare, enterprise, ICT and creative sectors in a Further Education institution before progressing to a Higher Education institution to complete their fully accredited degree. These programmes represent an important new departure in flexible provision, and will provide pathways to learners outside the traditional CAO process.
As this first tranche of programmes represents a pilot, exact figures for the first intake are not yet known.
It is expected that the National Tertiary Office will launch a call for further tertiary programmes later this year, and further and higher education institutions from across the country will be invited to participate in this next phase.
FET BREAKDOWN
|
Year |
Total Level 5 and 6 provision |
Post Leaving Certificate Course (PLC) only |
|
2022 |
69,695 |
39,795 |
|
2021 |
71,765 |
41,919 |
|
2020 |
73,971 |
44,523 |
|
2019 |
78,402 |
46,799 |
|
2018 |
78,698 |
48,399 |
SPRINGBOARD & BREAKDOWN
|
Year |
Course places |
No of courses |
Amount of funding |
|
2023 |
8,291 |
252 |
€34,438,000.00 |
|
2022 |
11,697 |
308 |
€41,438,000.00 |
|
2021 |
11,575 |
330 |
€41,438,000.00 |
|
2020 |
12,957 |
375 |
€48,438,000.00 |
|
2019 |
9,151 |
275 |
€34,438,000.00 |
|
Total |
53,671 |
1,540 |
€200,190,000.00 |
Further and Higher Education
Questions (868)
Brendan Smith
Question:868. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ensure that an adequate number of courses are provided in colleges of further education throughout the country in relation to different professions providing healthcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35390/23]
View answerWritten answers
Further Education and Training (FET) courses are delivered, or contracted, by the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) across the country at levels 1-6 on the NFQ. While this is under the funding and strategic direction of SOLAS, the ETBs decide on the level and nature of provision, including healthcare-related courses, based on local demand in consultation with SOLAS.
In 2022, just over 6,000 beneficiaries took part in FET healthcare-related courses. This year, the planned FET provision for healthcare-related courses is at a similar level.
Additionally, SOLAS, in conjunction with the Central Statistics Office, has recently completed research, which focused on the learner outcomes for healthcare learners in FET. Their research report highlights the many positive outcomes for learners, who complete their healthcare training provision in the FET system. This Report is available on the SOLAS website.
Further and Higher Education
Questions (869)
Brendan Smith
Question:869. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when a building project (details supplied) will proceed to the next stage; the timescale for the delivery of this new accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35424/23]
View answerWritten answers
Late last year, I was delighted to announce that the proposal for the project referred to by the Deputy was successful at the first stage of the assessment process under the FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that since then my department has worked closely with SOLAS in developing a suite of templates and guidance notes in line with Public Spending Code requirements for the preliminary business case stage of the process. Workshops took place at the end of March 2023 with relevant ETB representatives, to advise on how to complete the templates. SOLAS will continue to work closely with these ETBs, during the development phase of their proposal. ETBs have up to the end of September to complete and return their preliminary business cases for evaluation.
This proposal is to accommodate 1,000 students by building new centralised accommodation. This campus would be complementary to and work in collaboration with the current FET Training campus to further consolidate provision of FET programmes at Levels 5 and 6, as well as apprenticeships from a centralised, flagship college.
Departmental Budgets
Questions (870)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Question:870. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the capital budget allocation to his Department in the years of 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35471/23]
View answerWritten answers
The revised National Development Plan (NDP) provides for Exchequer investment of nearly €2.9 billion in further and higher education infrastructure, research and innovation over the five-year period 2021–2025.
The capital allocation in 2022 was €537m. In addition there were carryover of monies of €31.2m from 2021 available in 2022.
The capital allocation in 2023 is €578m. In addition there are carryover of monies of €55m from 2022 available in 2023.
Departmental Schemes
Questions (871)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Question:871. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline the internships, apprenticeships and graduate schemes run by his Department and public bodies under the aegis of his Department. [35487/23]
View answerWritten answers
My Department currently has two interns from the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES). These IGEES interns will be working with the Department for a 12 week period from June 26th 2023. The Department does not presently have any apprenticeships or graduate schemes in operation.
The information in respect of the aegis bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with her query.
|
Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science |
||
|
Name of Body |
Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas |
Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members |
|
Higher Education Authority |
Oireachtas@hea.ie |
Padraic Mellett* |
|
Irish Research Council( Note 1) |
Oireachtas@research.ie |
Padraic Mellett* |
|
Grangegorman Development Agency |
Communications@ggda.ie |
nora.rahill@ggda.ie |
|
SOLAS |
oireachtasinfo@solas.ie |
Maria Walsh maria.walshe@solas.ie |
|
Skillnets Ltd |
oireachtas@skillnets.com |
t.donnery@skillnets.com |
|
Quality and Qualifications Ireland |
ceo@qqi.ie |
ceo@qqi.ie |
|
Léargas – The Exchange Bureau |
oireachtas@leargas.ie |
fbroughan@leargas.ie |
|
Science Foundation Ireland |
ciara.cotter@sfi.ie |
Ciara Cotter |
Note 1 – In regard to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and the Irish Research Council (IRC) as the IRC operates under the auspices of the HEA. Mr Mellett will address Oireachtas queries for both the HEA and IRC. Please use Oireachtas@hea.ie and Oireachtas@research.ie respectively to contact Mr Mellett.