Results 9,841-9,860 of 46,456 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (15 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 525, 526 and 528 together. Following Government approval, I published A Safe Return: Plan for a safe return to on-site Further and Higher Education and Research in 2021/22 on June 15th. The Safe Return Plan can be accessed at the following link: The plan, which emerged following extensive discussions between university representatives, public health and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (15 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: Under the Prompt Payment Act 1997, Prompt Payment Interest (hereafter “PPI”) is applied to valid invoices which are not processed within 30 days of receipt. These regulations: - Apply to commercial transactions in both the public and private sectors, - Outline the statutory rate of interest applicable (currently 8% plus the applicable ECB rate), and - Detail the compensation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Bodies (15 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: The complex nature of the student grant scheme means that there is a risk that some students receive grant payments for which they are not eligible, including for reasons beyond the direct control of SUSI. To mitigate the risk of overpayments, SUSI implements procedural and system-based controls within its application assessment and grant payment operations. A highly developed quality...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: Since 2016, the Irish Research Council has funded fifty-eight awards in the area of artificial intelligence at a total cost of €6.7 million. These awards were funded under the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme, the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme, New Foundations, Employment-Based Postgraduate Programme, Enterprise Partnership Scheme,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Tests (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: The Government’s intention is to strengthen the prevention and intervention measures around COVID-19 in response to the changing context including surveillance, track and trace, and potential use of new technology.  My Department recognises the potential role of rapid antigen testing as one part of a package of surveillance and vigilance measures that could also include...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by the Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. Under 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. The decision on eligibility for a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by the Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. Under 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. The decision on eligibility for a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: The Student Grant Scheme is the principal support for students in financial terms by my Department. It provides grant assistance to eligible students attending approved full-time courses in approved further or higher educational institutions who meet the prescribed eligibility criteria of the relevant scheme. The Scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the national student grant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by my Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. 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.  The scheme is demand led...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by my Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. 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.  The scheme is demand led...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme where students are studying for the first time or are progressing to study at a higher level.  The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine. Postgraduate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: The Student Grant Scheme is a critical financial support for students participating in further and higher education.  As in any statutory scheme, a core principle of the scheme is that there is consistency of approach and an equitable treatment for applicants as part of the means assessment process. All applications are assessed nationally with reference to the terms and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by my Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. 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.  The scheme is demand led...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: Officials in my Department are working with the Statistics Unit in the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to gather the data, and this will sent to the Deputy once available.  It should be noted that this HEA does not gather data in respect of private colleges engaged in the provision of higher education.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: Attached is a document outlining the percentage of mature entrants of the total number of entrants in full-time undergraduate higher education programmes since 2011. Undergraduate New Entrants

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: In relation to English language education (ELE) in Ireland, it should be noted that this is a broad and diverse sector with the vast majority of activity undertaken by private sector providers. This sector offers a range of different programmes and offerings to both EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA learners who travel to the State to study English. My Department does not collect the data requested...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: There are currently 11 higher education projects in the pipeline for delivery by way of public private partnership. The projects are split between two bundles and are detailed in the following table: Bundle  Higher Education Institute Project Title Bundle 1 TU of the Shannon: Midlands and Midwest Athlone Campus  ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: Part V of the Disability Act 2005 requires that public bodies promote and support the employment of people with disabilities and ensure that 3% of staff employed by them are people with disabilities.  The requirement applies to my department and the bodies under its aegis The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities for 2015 – 2024, commits the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: Following Parliamentary Question (PQ) 34106/21, I undertook to revert with additional information. The question posed requested the percentages of academic and research staff respectively in full-time permanent employment in higher education institutes and the data available to my Department in respect of the Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities were not in a format,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Nursing Education (9 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: The data requested by the Deputy is not held by my Department nor the agencies under its remit. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are governed by the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technologies Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Within the meaning of these Acts, HEIs are autonomous with regard to management of their academic affairs. ...