Results 4,681-4,700 of 46,260 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Accommodation (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: Yes, I do. I have had many conversations with university presidents where I have pointed out that student accommodation needs to be a core part of their offering because it affects their ability to attract or retain students, students’ mental health and well-being and their overall education experience. I am not saying it is widespread, but there is an idea that “we are a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: There were 3,011 apprentices enrolled in Cork Education and Training Board, ETB, across a large range, including plumbing and electrical, wind-turbine maintenance and insurance practitioner. A key strength of the apprenticeship model is that it is a demand-led approach to meeting workforce and skill requirements in our economy and country. As apprentices are employees, the demand for and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Irish Language (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: The ambition of South East Technological University, SETU, never fails to amaze me. It is a good thing. We have the Waterford Crystal site, there are plans for student accommodation and Deputy Ó Cathasaigh has rightly indicated that there is a Gaeltacht within the university's catchment area. I am happy to have follow-up conversations with SETU. I am sure the Higher Education...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Costs (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this question. It must be a priority for the House and we must continue to fund higher education properly. We brought a plan called "Funding the Future" to the Cabinet last year. There are two parts to it. Some people would like to discuss the first part, which is about how to fund institutions properly to deliver the education system we want. We are fully...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Costs (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his support for this area of focus. We will publish the cost-of-education paper well in advance of the budget. I had hoped to publish it around the time of the summer recess, but I will certainly do so before the House resumes in the autumn. There will be plenty of opportunities for the Government, Opposition, students unions, media, citizens and everyone else to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Costs (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: To answer the Deputies Farrell, I have a clear view on the cost of education and how we can never let it be a barrier. This will involve the reduction in fees, improvements in grants and engaging on both issues through normal budgetary processes. I have been clear in the Funding the Future paper that we published last year that fees and grants should be considered each year in the round in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I will definitely look into the issue of unused capacity. I would be pleased if the Deputy wants to share any details with me. I want to be clear. There will be a need for more instructors but we will also have to physically expand the capacity of the workshops alongside that. The Deputy's question about new types of apprenticeship is key because of the jobs of the future. We have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Irish Language (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for this question. The Official Languages Act (Amendment) 2021 introduced a new system of language standards that will require adjustments across the public service. The Act brings forward a number of changes to Departments' obligations with regard to the Irish language and will see the imposition - that is a negative word - it will see the requirement to respond to an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Irish Language (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I agree. I am conscious that the Deputy and I discussed this during the passage of the Higher Education Authority Act 2022 when much of the debate he, the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach and I had was around ensuring the obligation on the HEA and higher education institutions to play their part in respect of our first official language was, let us be frank, more strengthened and prominent than...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for this question. It is a very important one because our greatest resource now for our future economic and social wellbeing is our people. We want to both retain and attract the best and the brightest to carry out research into areas that could make a fundamental societal, economic and educational difference. That is so important to our wellbeing. Under pillar 4 of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: It would certainly be my intention to publish the report once I get Cabinet approval. I would like to get it out there pretty quickly and urgently. I would like people to see the benefit of their input because, just looking back, it has been very significant. An all-day in-person workshop was held on 8 March. Some 35 stakeholder organisations attended, including the Irish Research Staff...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I appreciate the Deputy's support in this area. I want to do more to support PhD researchers. I think we all do. There are a couple of complexities that we must be honest about. For example, SFI and the IRC have a level of stipend, and there is an equalisation between them now. They did increase in the budget by €500, which is good but they need to go up further. That is okay; we...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy and I acknowledge her support for the work that we are all trying to achieve in terms of apprenticeships, and the huge potential that there is to expand the apprenticeship offering in Ireland. We now have 67 apprenticeship programmes. We also want to put it up in lights as another way of getting a qualification after school; getting a good well-paid job and trying to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: We do. I again acknowledge the role of the instructors, as the Deputy has done. We are working in a sector where there is a real passion from people doing their job. They stepped up and did a hell of a lot more than anyone could have asked of them and I acknowledge that today. Yes, we need to continue to expand the size of the workforce. If the Deputy is asking what I think the two...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for the question. I agree that this absolutely has to be, and is, a priority area. We need to, and we have, changed the policy on student accommodation. If the Deputy and I were having this conversation just before Christmas, or if we were talking about it last September, the factual position in Ireland was that universities had either decided, or not, to fund their own...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: That is a very fair question. I was looking back at figures while the Deputy was asking the question. We have approved €59 million worth of taxpayer investment in student accommodation projects, just since last December - certainly we did some before Christmas and some after Christmas. This has allowed projects to move forward in Dublin City University, Maynooth University,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: This is a sensitive issue. The Deputy is correct on one level in that we absolutely want to make sure that anybody who avails of any accommodation gets good and decent accommodation, and that students are protected and are in an environment where wellbeing and standards are respected. We also do not want to accidentally over-regulate the older person who might, for example, be living in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: Ensuring a supply of qualified vets to meet the demands of Ireland's agri-food sector is an important issue for my Department. Workforce planning requirements for the veterinary medicine sector are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in consultation with the Veterinary Council of Ireland. Officials in my Department have been engaging closely with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: Addressing the cost of education is a key priority for me. Over the course of the past three Budgets, I have delivered a range of enhancements to the Student Grant Scheme to put more money into the pockets of students and their families including a significant package of cost of living measures which took effect this academic year. For students starting their course this September, I have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: There a number of initiatives already underway and others planned to improve the interface between the wider research community and Government. Earlier this month, I established the Research and Innovation Policy Advisory Forum. As envisaged in Impact 2030, this innovative Forum will provide an agreed structure for engagementbetween members of the research and innovation community and policy...