Results 5,961-5,980 of 46,267 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the length the wait list expected to be between phase 2 and phase 4 of SOLAS in each relevant apprenticeship is being compiled by SOLAS. An answer will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Qualifications (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: Significant engagement is ongoing between my Department, and the Department of Health to develop a joined-up approach to meet system level demand across the health sector. My Department does not place a quota on the number of places available on programmes leading to entry to the profession of dietitian, that is decided by the relevant HEIs according to their capacity. There are some...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I have reviewed the correspondence from the students from the University of Limerick and the responses to their queries are below. I wish them the best of luck in their academic careers. 1. A renewal of the Leaving certificate process to reduce stress on students so they can meet their full potential. In March 2022 my colleague, the Minister for Education, announced an ambitious programme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I am aware of and actively addressing the difficulties faced by students in accessing affordable student accommodation. Fundamentally the challenge of affordable student accommodation is one of supply of housing more generally, and the impact of the global economy on the cost of construction. To assist with the shortage of accommodation for our students, on 29 November 2022, I secured...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous with regard to their academic affairs. Both UCD and St Angela’s College, which is a constituent college of the University of Galway, are Designating Awarding Bodies. These bodies hold their own statutory awarding powers and have established processes and procedures for the validation of the courses and awards that they offer. The validation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by my Department is the student grant scheme, which makes available means-tested financial assistance to students in further and higher education. Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students on full-time courses who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department does not have direct responsibility for the HEAR scheme. It is owned and operated by participating Higher Education Institutions. HEAR is a reduced points higher education admissions scheme for Leaving Certificate students (under 23) whose economic or social background are underrepresented in higher education rather than a grant. HEAR currently has no specific entry...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: At the end of last year, I was delighted to announce that Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB’s strategic proposal was successful at the first stage of the assessment process under the FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund. This proposal will now move to the next stage of the process which will entail the development of a preliminary business case in line with public spending...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pension Provisions (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I am firmly of the view that there should be access to public service pensions for research staff in all higher education institutions across the sector. As such, my Department has been engaging positively with management bodies, the Department for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the Department of Education on a business case to support access to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Citizenship Applications (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1038, 1039, 1098, 1114 and 1118 together. I am aware of the delays being experienced by Citizenship applicants and I would like to assure those people that everything possible is being done to clear the existing backlogs. The current backlog is a legacy of the pandemic, where processing times were significantly impacted due to the paper based nature of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The persons referred to made an application to the Afghan Admission Programme which was received by my Department on 1 March 2022. I would like to take this opportunity to assure them that my Department is processing applications under the Afghan Admissions Programme as quickly as possible. To ensure as many people as possible can avail of this important programme my Department has been...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I can inform the Deputy that there has been no instances of virement since my appointment to the role of Minister for Justice on 22 December 2022.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Staff (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I wish to advise the Deputy that probation officers and all other employees of the Probation Service, a body under the aegis of my Department, are serving civil servants.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Agreements (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The Government is firmly committed to ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, several legislative measures have been implemented which were necessary to ensure that Ireland is in compliance with the obligations of the Optional Protocol. Enactment of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences)...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Policing Authority (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy may be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) the Policing Authority is independent in its functions. I have been informed by the Policing Authority that the security contract for 90 North King Street was awarded to Top Security. I am further informed that the premises has a number of tenants in addition to the Policing Authority and the contract was...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware the Government will establish a statutory agency with a dedicated focus on Domestic Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. The agency will have a specific mandate to drive the implementation of the Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1047 and 1048 together. My Department is taking all necessary steps to manage the international protection process fairly, efficiently and effectively, as part of the broader Government response, while ensuring the integrity of Ireland's rules-based immigration system is maintained. The number of International Protection applicants last year was 13,651...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Asylum Applications (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1049 and 1050 together. Since the International Protection Act 2015 commenced on 31 December 2016, the International Protection Office of my Department has carried out the function of considering permission to remain (under section 49 of the 2015 Act), in respect of those applicants who have been refused international protection (refugee status or subsidiary...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Teanga Gaeilge (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: Is iad na breithiúna agus an tSeirbhís Chúirteanna, atá neamhspleách agus iad ag feidhmiú a gcuid feidhmeanna faoin Acht um Sheirbhís Chúirteanna, 1998, agus i bhfianaise dheighilt na gcumhachtaí sa Bhunreacht, atá freagrach as bainistiú na gcúirteanna, as nithe a bhaineann le hoibríochtaí agus as feidhmeanna...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Deportation Orders (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The tables below set out the information requested by the Deputy. It is important to note that not all those who are issued with a deportation order will have been in the international protection process and, when issued with a deportation order, many people leave the State without notifying the authorities. Nationality DO Signed 2021 Morocco 5 ...