Results 9,461-9,480 of 46,456 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: As a small, open economy, Ireland relies on external demand and international markets for sustainable and continued growth. The market for innovation and research is also global – international cooperation in research and innovation plays an important role in the development and sustainability of a world-class innovation and research system. The centrality of the higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Standards (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: International competition for talent, investment and innovation grows more intense as nations strive to improve their standing as knowledge based economies. The establishment of a new Department focused on talent and knowledge is an indication of the Government’s intent to position human capital and research as key enablers for our future economy and society. There are a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: There are a range of supports and measures in place for students who wish to access and participate in third level education. For students who wish to access higher education, the main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme. Around 75,000 students are supported annually under the fund. We are currently reviewing the grant scheme with a view to improving the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Higher education and research and further education and training including apprenticeship have been confirmed by Government as an essential service in the course of the pandemic. They continue, therefore, to take place on-site, consistent with the Safe Return Plan published by my Department last June. The Safe Return plan has been supplemented by recent guidance in relation to the sectoral...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by the Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme administered by SUSI. Under the terms of the Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (25 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 to 299, inclusive, together. The funding allocations under the co-funded Higher Education Strategic Infrastructure Fund (HESIF) programme were done by way of competitive call against set criteria outlined in the call document. The criteria included, quality and impact, value for money, capacity to deliver and alignment with Higher Education Institutions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (25 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Government statement that there will be no change in current arrangements for student attendance and on-site activities in school, further and higher education institutions in line with COVID response plans for those sectorshighlights that there is no change planned to the current arrangements for student attendance and on-site activities for the further and higher education sector. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Growth in education and training provision in green skills and sustainability is ongoing across the Tertiary Education sector. A range of options are available from short courses targeted at awareness building, upskilling and reskilling programmes to full and part-time academic and vocational programmes. The curricula of many other programmes will also include elements and modules targeted to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (24 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Apprentices end their registration for a variety of reasons including failed assessments, pursuing another career or educational programme or personal reasons such as serious illness etc. 2,818 apprentices withdrew from craft apprenticeships between 2016 and 2020. The non-completion rate per craft apprenticeship over the four year period 2016-2020 is attached.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Examinations (24 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Government statement that there will be no change in current arrangements for student attendance and on-site activities in school, further and higher education institutions in line with COVID response plans for those sectorshighlights that there is no change planned to the current arrangements for student attendance and on-site activities for the further and higher education sector. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (24 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: DCU’s new ‘Future-Tech’ building will provide a new state-of-the-art science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) facility. Responding to the significant demographic pressures in DCU’s hinterland, the 10,000m² facility located at the main entrance of DCU Glasnevin Campus on Collins Ave will accommodate 3,000 additional STEM students, and house...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (24 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Tyndall National Institute was established in 2004 as a partnership between Government and University College Cork, to provide a national focal point for excellence in deep-tech research, development and graduate training in ICT. As a key national Institute, Tyndall works through world-class teams performing ground-breaking research on new materials, devices and systems with an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Nov 2021)

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. This would be a priority even in normal times, but the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant strain on our healthcare sector, further underscores its importance. The Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (24 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Since 2011 no member of staff of my department has had their contract terminated or been transferred to another section due to breaches of standards or professional misconduct.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Appointments (23 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, I announced important changes to the CAO webpage last week to enhance the visibility of further education and apprenticeship options. I offered through my social media channels to visit schools to talk to 5thor 6thyear students about their options. We received over 580 responses and are now working on a schedule of visits. I am really pleased to say the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (23 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of persons who completed an apprenticeship and became fully qualified tradespersons in each of the years 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form, is currently being collated by SOLAS and will be sent to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (23 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department is seeking to progress a sector wide borrowing framework for TUs in line with the recommendations of the 2019 TURN report. Initial discussions stretching back to 2019 on the development of a TU borrowing framework took place with relevant actors including the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. It is now anticipated that any borrowing framework would in the first...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (23 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together. Under the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is available to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the terms and conditions of funding, including those relating to residency, means, nationality and previous academic attainment. All applications are assessed with reference to the terms and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Reform (23 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Since the publication of the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030, the strategic policy context for the System Performance Framework has continued to evolve, including recent significant changes in the higher education landscape. The publication of the Statement of Strategy by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science earlier this year set out...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (23 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 456, 457 and 458 together. Terms and conditions of employment for tutors, lecturers and other staff in higher education institutions, including membership of the single public service pension scheme, are a matter in the first instance for the employer. Information on that scheme is available at singlepensionscheme.gov.ie/ . In line with Sections 53 and...