Results 161-180 of 33,688 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Community Training Centres (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: Community Training Centres (CTCs) are non-profit making companies with governing boards that are broadly representative of the community. Since 1977, CTCs have been involved in innovative training for marginalised groups and since the introduction of the Youthreach programme in 1989, their focus has been on Early School Leavers. There are currently two CTCs operating in the area mentioned...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I?have not been made aware of any plans to develop a new campus on the north side of Cork city. However, my Department works collaboratively with all Higher Education Institutions and Education and Training Boards on the?development?of capital projects in line with their?established masterplans. Off-the-job training for apprenticeship is delivered in a number of different ways according...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: My Department and the Higher Education Authority are currently engaging with SETU to advance a number of capital projects across the SETU campuses. A new Engineering, Computing and General Teaching building planned for SETU Waterford and a Science and Health Building at SETU Carlow are being progressed within the parameters of bundle II of the Higher Education PPP Programme. SETU has also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, including the limited access to GP services in certain areas, and is working to ensure that general practice is sustainable in all areas into the future. GPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: The strategic alignment of policy between my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), is imperative in realising the commitments we have set out in Housing for All and in addressing supply of accommodation specifically to meet the needs of our higher education students and mitigate pressures on rental accommodation. Engagement has been ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I want to thank the Deputy for raising this. The main responsibility of my Department in this respect, I believe, is in ensuring the participation of older age cohorts in education. This can be to help their engagement in employment, but can also be to ensure their full participation in society. People in Ireland are living longer and healthier lives and it is important they can continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I am deeply concerned by the situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. This remains a central priority for the Government, including at EU level, where Ireland is consistently calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. The Framework Programme for Research & Innovation - Horizon Europe - is the European Union’s largest research and innovation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: The National Access Plan has called for more flexible forms of learning for target groups and those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. One of the priorities for Budget 2024 is reducing child poverty. We know that Education has the power to transform lives, lift people out of poverty and break down cycles of intergenerational poverty. I have been consistent in my position that we...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: The proposed European Joint Degree programme is part of the European Universities initiative, which I support. The European Commission is currently engaged in a research project to establish possible approaches to a joint European Degree, and a communication from the Commission with proposals for the Member States to consider is expected in March or April 2024. At that point, when the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB (MSLETB) have been working with and supported by SOLAS in developing their preliminary business case proposal for Castlebar under the FET College of the Future Major Projects fund for the last number of months. The development of a robust Preliminary Business Case (PBC) is fundamental to the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: Ensuring that learners have options beyond the CAO has been a longstanding priority for me and my department. As the Deputy will be aware, September 2023 marked the commencement of the new Joint Tertiary Degrees. These programmes see students begin their third level experience in further education, and then progress seamlessly to a higher education institution to complete their fully...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for her question. The Deputy will be aware that Galway Roscommon ETB have been working with and supported by SOLAS in developing their preliminary business case proposal for their Mervue site in Galway city under the FET College of the Future Major Projects fund for the last number of months. The development of a robust Preliminary Business Case (PBC) is fundamental to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Priorities (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: The tertiary education system plays a central role in ensuring that our graduates from higher education, further education and training and from apprenticeship are equipped with the cognitive skills, the essential transversal skills, and the vocational and professional skills and competencies which will equip them for success in work and society. Against the backdrop of the accelerating...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Health Services Staff (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: Given the projected demand for graduates from medical schools over the medium term, my Department has been exploring all options to increase the number of medical places for Irish students across the island. In July 2022, I, along with Minister Donnelly received Government approval to progress work to secure places for Irish students in medical schools in Northern Ireland with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: All apprentices participating on the 25 craft apprenticeship programmes experience some delays between the completion of phase 1 (on-the-job training) and scheduling for phase 2 (off-the-job training) of their apprenticeship programme. However, where those delays exceed 6-months, it is considered to be in excess of the norm, and what has been referred to as 'the backlog', since the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: The tertiary education system plays a central role in ensuring that our graduates from higher education, further education and training and from apprenticeship are equipped with the cognitive skills, the essential transversal skills, and the vocational and professional skills and competencies which will equip them for success in work and society. Against the backdrop of the accelerating...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: Since last November I have secured Government approval in principle of up to €61m in funding to unlock the development of approximately 1,000 new and additional student accommodation beds across four universities. These projects are being progressed as immediate response measures to unlock supply of affordable accommodation in partnership with our University sector. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Construction Industry (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: A key government priority is to ensure that we have world-leading skills in the economy to ensure a sustainable and equitable economy in the future. The construction sector is no exception. We recognise the changes in the sector and the response needed to support innovation in construction, and the need for targeted, collaborative and industry- focused opportunities available across all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: At the end of December 2023, there was a live population of 212 apprentices at Phase 7 of their programmes in the Cork Educational Training Board area. Further detail is provided by apprenticeship programme in the attached table.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: In response to a request from my Department, Irish Universities have reported the following collaborations with Israeli higher education institutions: - Trinity College Dublin - Erasmus agreements at School/Department level with the Hebrew University Jerusalem (partnership with Department of Near & Middle Eastern Studies) and Bar Ilan University (partnership with School of Religion,...