Results 4,461-4,480 of 46,260 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: In considering matters raised it is important to note that the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science does not place a cap on the number of Social Work places and therefore the places offered are a matter for the higher education institutions (HEIs), in line with their autonomy. Currently, six higher education institutes have accredited programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021 predates the DFHERIS, and that the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) are in the process of developing a new LGBTI+ strategy. My Department is a member of the national LGBTI+ Steering Committee which oversees the implementation of the strategy and is working with the DCEDIY on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1075, 1076, 1077, 1078, 1079 and 1080 together. The information requested by the Deputy is not held by my Department, the most recent data for new entrants regarding the requested Social Work programmes is from 2021/2022, sourced from the Student Records System of the HEA, outlined in the table below. This data is rounded to the nearest five by the HEA...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: In November 2022, I received Government approval for a new policy led by my Department, to provide funding to stimulate the development of new and additional student accommodation for public higher education institutions. This landmark policy response will, for the first time, see the State providing financial support in the construction of student accommodation, and underpins the policy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, a student must be ordinarily resident in Ireland or an EU/EEA/Swiss/UK for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course. Where undergraduate students do not qualify for free fees funding they must pay the appropriate fee, either EU or Non-EU, as determined by each higher education institution. Higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: The list of all studies, research and reports commissioned by my Department since the formation of this Government can be found in the table attached.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: On August 2021, there were almost 12,000 apprentices awaiting off-the-job training. At the end of August this year, 7,578 apprentices were waiting for off-the-job training. Of these 5,257 apprentices were waiting longer than six months. There will always be a degree of waiting for apprentices, due to factors such as term commencement dates in higher education institutions and increased...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: The TUS campus on Bindon Street, Ennis, County Clare offers two CAO courses - BA Social Care Work (Level 7) and BA (Hons) Social Care Work (Level 8) - as well as a range of flexible learning and skills based short programmes. In response to the recent Tertiary Education awards initiative that I launched last July, TUS also offers a degree in Business in Ennis in collaboration with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: The matter referred to by the deputy relates to EIB Loan Approval for capital works at UCC. Section 38 of the Universities Act, 1997 sets out the basis for borrowing and loan guarantees by universities. It provides for such borrowing in accordance with a framework agreed between the universities and the Higher Education Authority. The current borrowing framework provides for universities to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Appointments (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: Assessment of means under the Student Grant Scheme 2023 is based on gross income fromall sources, of the dependent applicant and his/her parents. No deduction is given for outgoings with the exception of pension contributions, legally enforceable maintenancepayments and employment related expenses as approved by Revenue. For the purposes of determining the reckonable income of an applicant,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: 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 26th2023. 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,...