Ninth Level Ireland

“Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail): … I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to present the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2020 to the House. The primary purpose of the Bill is to establish the new Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The establishment of the Department is a major initiative of the new Government. It underscores our strong belief that the interface of knowledge, skills, innovation and access to educational opportunity at further and higher level is critical to our future prosperity and fairness as a society …” (more)

[Seanad debates, 23 July]

“D’fhógair an tAire Stáit don Ghaeilge, don Ghaeltacht, agus do na hOileáin, Sean Kyne, go gcuirfear maoiniú €1.63 milliún ar fáil do chursaí tríú-leibhéil Gaeilge ar an Luan. Thuairiscigh Tuairisc.ie go dtabharfar tacaíocht do 12 chúrsa Gaeilge i gcoláistí timpeall na tíre …” (more)

[Malachi Ó Marcaigh, University Times, 2 October]

“Nine Irish language courses and institutes of higher education including NUI Galway have been approved €1.63 million in additional funding. The funding was announced this week by Galway West TD and Minister of State for the Irish Language Seán Kyne under the Advanced Irish Language Initiative …” (more)

[Briain Kelly, Galway Daily, 1 October]

“The Centre for Irish Language Research, Teaching and Testing (Lárionad na Gaeilge) at Maynooth University has been awarded funding to develop an online course which will qualify graduates to teach Irish to adults. Minister of State for the Irish Language Seán Kyne announced a grant of €270,000 which will fund the delivery of the course during a visit to the campus on Tuesday afternoon …” (more)

[Éanna Ó Caollaí, Irish Times, 21 May]

“A scheme similar to the European Erasmus programme will facilitate up to 175 students who wish to spend a semester studying in the Gaeltacht. Third level students will be offered the opportunity to spend three months in Gaeltacht areas under the new language immersion scheme announced this morning by the Department of the Gaeltacht …” (more)

[Éanna Ó Caollaí, Irish Times, 13 May]

“A new 35 million euro student accommodation complex at NUI Galway has officially been opened. Minister of State for the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands, Sean Kyne opened Goldcrest Village at the North Campus of the university …” (more)

[Galway Bay FM, 8 February]

“Progress on the national Technological Universities Bill will provide a boost to GMIT’s Connacht-Ulster Alliance Plans. That’s according to Junior Minister Sean Kyne, who says a number of amendments will be made to the Bill …” (more)

[Connacht Tribune, 18 July]

“Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the strategy for maximising the potential use of third level infrastructure such as classrooms and lecture theatres for part-time and evening or weekend short, skills-intensive courses which could help enable a person to acquire new skills or maintain existing ones in the context of the jobs market; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 4 June]

“Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has considered alternative models of student contribution towards higher level course provision; if he is concerned that access to higher level is still a major issue for many young persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 18 September]

“Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason Student Universal Support Ireland insist on obtaining financial accounts to accompany student grant applications from farms which are in receipt of the farm assist scheme, a payment which is only made to those families working on small low income farms; if he will clarify the reason a statement from the Department of Social Protection detailing farm assist payment is not sufficient to enable the processing of the initial student grant application …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 21 February]

“Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if, in consideration of the delays being experienced by the Student Universal Support Ireland application process which is having an adverse effect on the student assistance fund, the fund can be augmented, as a matter of urgency, in order that the crucial support that it provides to students can be safeguarded for the complete academic year [52090/12]

“Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): In addition to the maintenance grant support is also available to students under the Student Assistance Fund which assists students in third-level institutions in exceptional financial need. Information on the fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended. The Access Officers themselves will also continue to provide support and advice to students to enable them to continue with their studies. My Department has asked the Higher Education Authority for an up to date report on the demand for the scheme.”

[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 22 November]

“Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills in recognition of the recent completion and additions of new infrastructure to many of the State supported universities and ITs if a framework exists or will be drawn up to utilise these facilities for short courses, adult learning, skills courses and so forth which would operate outside of normal college hours; and if it is recognised that the revenue raised by such diversification – already a feature of privately owned and run third level institutions could greatly ease the financial pressure on our State supported universities and their full-time students …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 22 November]

“Deputy Seán Kyne: I am delighted to raise this issue of importance in my constituency and, I am sure, across the country. It has been raised time and again by a number of my constituents who are affected by it. Our student grant scheme, which was set out in the Student Support Act 2011 and SI 305/2011 and amended in previous years, has a flaw that has become particularly visible …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann Topical Issue Debate, 21 February]

“Deputy Seán Kyne: I thank the Ceann Comhairle’s office for affording me the opportunity to speak on this issue. I appreciate the grave financial difficulties currently facing us, caused by reasons already known and spoken of at length in this Chamber and outside. I acknowledge the commitment and dedication of the Minister, Deputy Quinn, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Cannon and Sherlock, who are working hard to maintain educational supports and best utilise stretched budgets in the face of diminished resources …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann Adjournment Debate, 7 July]