Results 4,701-4,720 of 46,260 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: A key strength of the apprenticeship model is that it is an employer demand-led approach to meeting workforce and skills requirements nationwide. Through education and training providers, including all 16 Education and Training Boards, apprentices gain valuable skills and experience. Employers can be confident that apprentices are truly job-ready when they graduate with a QQI-recognised...

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

Simon Harris: The delivery of healthcare programmes is complex and requires coordination across multiple parts of the health and education systems, particularly in relation to the oversight and governance of clinical placements. Following challenges faced by the higher education sector in securing sufficient appropriate and reliable clinical placements, in mid-2022 my Department established a working...

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

Simon Harris: Investment in people and the skills and capabilities they hold is a priority for Government. Skills and continuous learning are vital for enabling individuals and countries to thrive in an increasingly, interconnected and rapidly changing world. In devising our overall policy response to meeting skills needs there is a balance to be struck between investment in core funding to support...

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

Simon Harris: I would like to thank the Deputy for this question. Under Pillar 4 of our national research and innovation strategy, Impact 2030, we have committed to ensuring that researchers have the right skills development and career opportunities so that they can make their maximum contribution, whether in academia, industry, the public sector or elsewhere. We have also committed to fostering a...

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

Simon Harris: My Department is strongly committed to supporting the health and welfare of the population through the provision of graduates with the key competencies and skills to be effective in the health workforce, and support a range of clinical teams in our health services. Healthcare programmes are by their nature complex in delivery. The availability of appropriate placements and placement...

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

Simon Harris: The student grant scheme is targeted at full-time students. Courses that are part-time, less than two years in duration, undertaken online or as distance courses, or which lead to a special purpose or distance award, are not currently approved for the Student Grant Scheme. However, I have been consistent in my position that we need to develop our student support system over time to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department is actively addressing the availability of student accommodation, given the challenges in the wider rental market. Through “Housing for All”, the Government has approved development of policy and provision of funding to increase the supply of purpose built student accommodation. This has resulted in the State directly supporting the short term development of...

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

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising matters in relation to the cost of supporting students with tuition fees and other higher education costs. I am acutely conscious of the challenges facing students and the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address cost as a barrier to education. I also recognise that costs are not limited to tuition fees or other registration fees payable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cross-Border Co-operation (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: Further Education Institutions, North and South, have a long history of collaboration, and I am very committed to the promotion of maintenance and strengthening of these relationships, as well as encouraging the development of new collaborations. While my Department does not have oversight of the operation of these relationships on a day-to-day basis, I would like to cite the strong...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: The preparation of a strategic development plan by a TU is entirely a matter for the technological university in question in accordance with the provisions set out in section 18 of the TU Act 2018. Neither I as Minister nor my Department has a function in the matter. Similarly, the location of any campus is a matter for a TU as an autonomous higher education institution and again neither I...

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

Simon Harris: I would like to thank the Deputy for this question. The quality of our researchers is fundamental to the quality of our research system and its collaboration with partners in industry and policymakers, both in Ireland and abroad. My Department last November initiated an independent National Review of State Supports for Ph.D. Researchers under the co-chairs Dr. Andrea Johnson and David Cagney....

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

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, the HEA recently carried out an exercise to identify options for building capacity in the higher education sector in priority disciplines including Veterinary Medicine. As I am still reviewing the submission from the HEA, it is not currently possible to say how many further places may be delivered at this time, which higher education institutions may be involved,...

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

Simon Harris: Late last year, I was very happy to announce that Kerry ETB’s (KETB) strategic proposal to develop a Further Education College in Killarney was successful at the first stage of the assessment process under the FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund. The proposal put forward by KETB relates to the development of the former Pretty Polly and Sara Lee site to provide a specialist...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 134 together. I would like to thank the Deputy for this question. Under Pillar 4 of our national research and innovation strategy, Impact 2030, we have committed to ensuring that researchers have the right skills development and career opportunities so that they can make their maximum contribution, whether in academia, industry, the public sector or...

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

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising matters in relation to the cost of supporting students with tuition fees and other higher education costs. I am acutely conscious of the challenges facing students and the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address cost as a barrier to education. I also recognise that costs are not limited to tuition fees or other registration fees payable...

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

Simon Harris: In November last year, I indicated in Dáil Éireann that my Department will prepare a proposal for Government to consider joining CERN. Since then, Officials from my Department have been working with CERN to prepare an application for Ireland's associate membership of CERN. It is envisaged that a formal proposal will be put to CERN Council for vote at the end of 2023 allowing for...

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

Simon Harris: The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science does not place a quota on the number of higher education places in publicly funded institutions, and as such the number of places provided each year is determined by the institutions themselves in line with their capacity. Bodies such as SOLAS's Skills and Labour Market Research Unit and the Expert Group on...

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

Simon Harris: Since 2021, the Department has disbursed just over €96m in funding for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 academic years under the Devolved Capital Grant to Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and eligible higher education institutions. The Devolved Capital Grant is allocated to individual institutions in accordance with a model based primarily on student numbers, weighted by course type and...

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

Simon Harris: The Higher Education Authority Act, which was enacted in October 2022, requires that higher education institutions promote the Irish language. As autonomous bodies, each higher education institution is responsible for its Irish language strategy, including the expansion and teaching of university courses through the Irish language. The Department distributes recurrent funding to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (1 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I have regular engagement both personally and through my Department with the Union of Student in Ireland (USI) and regional Student Union representatives. These meetings address issues including the cost of living crisis, its impact on students and their families and the provision of student accommodation. In April of this year I met representatives of USI to discuss the development of...