100. D'fhiafraigh Deputy John Connolly den Minister for Education and Youth cmaidir le Tionscadal na Scoileanna Beaga, cad iad na pleananna atá ag a Roinn chun cur le líon na gcnuasach scoile atá ann agus chun stádas buan a thabhairt don tionscadal; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [69894/25]

Sentiment score: 0.00

Mo cheist ná chun a fhiafraí den Aire Oideachais agus Óige maidir le tionscadal na scoileanna beaga. Cad iad na pleananna atá sa Roinn chun cur le líon na scoileanna atá sa scéim faoi láthair agus chun stádas buan a thabhairt don tionscadal? This question relates to the small schools project. The Minister will be aware that her predecessor, the Minister, Deputy Foley, started a pilot project for clustering small schools in support of the schools and easing the administrative burden on the principals of those schools. She deserves great credit for that initiative. I would like to see the project put on a firm footing into the future.

Sentiment score: 0.22

The Minister of State has noted many of the positive elements of this scheme and how the schools, in the evaluation undertaken by the Department, reflected positively on it. As he said, there were two such clusters in County Galway, one in Gort agus ceann i gceantar Iorras Aithneach i gConamara. Bhí trí scoil sa scéim sin: Scoil na hAirde Móire, Scoil Mhuighnis agus Scoil an Aird Thiar. Other communities that have seen the benefit of the clustering project have contacted me pointing out that there are a number of similar small schools in their community and asking if the scheme can be expanded to include a new cluster in their community. That is a very fair call. The Minister of State noted that the administrative burden is reduced, the school staff get additional training and there is shared learning among the teachers and pupils. I request that this measure be extended and made permanent.

Sentiment score: 0.14

One of the most positive attributes of this scheme, with which I have some experience, is that it enabled principals who also have responsibility for teaching a class or multiple classes to do two important things. The first was to cluster their release days, so that when the principal is on a release day for administrative duties in the school, the same substitute teacher is there every day. This provided great consistency and continuity for the school and pupils. The person covering the release days did so in every cluster, meaning that the release days almost gave rise to a full-time position. That was one benefit of the scheme. In the review the Minister of State mentioned, two concluding remarks indicate that the scheme should form part of future policy, hopefully in the near future because, as the Minister of State said, it is included in the programme for Government. One concluding remark was that no one project can overcome the challenges faced by small schools in rural areas but this scheme is a small step in the right direction. That is accurate. The second comes directly from the cluster in Gort, where a cluster administrative officer was appointed. Everyone agreed that this should be expanded to all small schools.

Sentiment score: 0.23

205. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding the publication of his Department's strategy for the provision of student accommodation and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67831/25]

Sentiment score: 0.13

In a response to a previous question, the Minister outlined very well the supports available to students and families to assist in meeting the cost of accommodation and how he has increased those supports and made them available to a greater number of students. I wish to ask the Minister about the supply of student accommodation and the position of the Department regarding the publication of a new strategy for the provision of student accommodation.

Sentiment score: 0.65

It is very welcome that we would have a strategy over the coming weeks. We need it. The third level sector needs it. It is anxious to hear what will be included in it. The Minister gave some indication about how the strategy will use other policy areas or other departures in Government policy recently to make sure we can stimulate and incentivise the development and provision of student accommodation. There are a number of options in terms of incentivising people to rent out spare capacity in their homes, incentivising the private sector to get involved and public-private partnerships. If they had the choice, most people would plump for purpose-built student accommodation with some association with the third level institution in close proximity to it. I hope the strategy can include some incentivisation in that area. Could the Minister address allowing technological universities to borrow and the framework for the preparation of that, which could help in meeting that goal of developing purpose-built student accommodation?

Sentiment score: 0.19

Given the liberty we have been shown, I have to wish Athenry ladies camogie team the best of luck in the all-Ireland final at the weekend. I look forward to the publication of the strategy. I hope that we can see some incentivisation of the third level sector to provide accommodation in close proximity to the institutions and that it will be available to students at a reasonable cost. The Minister outlined very well the supports he has provided and the increased supports he has provided. Could the Minister tell me the borrowing framework for the technological universities? It could help a lot if we could get some clarity on it.

Sentiment score: 0.48