Results 34,641-34,660 of 46,522 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Higher Education Institutions (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The Deputy has honestly highlighted what is a very delicate balance. Deputies in the House are quite rightly calling on me to ensure we provide extra college places and it is perfectly appropriate. At the same time, we must meet the needs of existing students, and all in a world of Covid-19, where health and safety must come first. As I stated, I expect all students to receive details of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Admissions (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 51 together. I was very grateful to Deputy Conway-Walsh for wanting to transfer questions in order to highlight this matter as I know the issue is important and timely. This year has been one like no other, and it was a year when a leaving certificate class could not do a leaving certificate exam. At every twist and turn, everybody in this House...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Admissions (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge the Deputy's and Deputy Ó Laoghaire's constructive engagement on this issue. I have looked at all the options because this year calls for us to look at absolutely everything we can possibly do. The clear advice available to me, and I am happy to write to the Deputy on this, is that the ring-fencing of places is legally fraught for a variety of reasons, principally on the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Admissions (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I agree with much of what the Deputy said. Let us hope a year like this year never happens again. It has been an extraordinary year that nobody could predict. I welcome what the Deputy said. There has been an effort by some, not the Deputy, perhaps to pit one year group against the other. Every student and year group has experienced a difficult impact as a result of the pandemic. The...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for this important question. The short answer is that I will. I have already spoken to the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, about this. He was planning a meeting with the Union of Students in Ireland, USI. That either has taken place or will take place shortly. The union has a number of proposals that it wants the Minister to consider and he wants to engage with USI...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I welcome the Deputy's kind words for the staff of SUSI. I met them last week and it is incredible that almost all of them have to work remotely to keep everybody safe and follow public health guidance. They are still managing to process a serious amount of applications so I join the Deputy in thanking them. I asked for a note from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The appeals process and the standardisation is a matter for the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Foley, and I will pass on details of the issue raised by the Deputy regarding that family in Tipperary to her. My understanding is that the appeals process opens on Monday but in addition to that, the marks that teachers gave to students will also be provided to all students from next...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Pringle for raising this important matter, which he also raised with me last week during a debate on these matters. This is a very serious issue and as the Deputy is aware, I have allocated an additional €5 million for mental health supports. Admittedly, €2 million of that was a budget day announcement of additional funding and then a further €3 million...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: It is objectively one of the largest increases we have seen for student mental health services in many years but whether it is enough is always a fair question. Do I want to continue to invest more? Of course I do. The Deputy asked what will happen with the funding and what the institutions will do with it and that is a key question. I have outlined in my answer what we want them to do...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Mental Health Services (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I assure the Deputy that we will do that. I am more than happy to keep the Deputy and the House updated in that regard.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Verona Murphy for asking this question which she has asked of me many times in the last eight weeks. I know it is a priority for her and for all Oireachtas Members from the south east because it is potentially a transformational project in the context of regional development and access to higher education. I assure the Deputy that it is a priority for me as well. Indeed, the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: Absolutely. It is key to the success of this project that there be a Wexford campus. That has always been the intention and it needs to happen. The consortium recently designed a change management programme and established a project office with three full-time executives and support staff. That office has been working on making progress and updating the draft application which is now...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: In light of the week that is in it, I am very pleased that Deputy Murphy has told of her experience of the benefits of further education because it can be transformational. There are many pathways to get to where people wish to go. I have heard many stories this week of persons who missed out on a place in university that they desperately wanted. They were disappointed at the time, but did...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is correct that there has been an effort by some Deputies - not him or me - to pit one generation against another with regard to Covid. The reality is that it has had a serious impact on all generations, including young people. I was very moved by the "Prime Time" television programme broadcast last night which showed all the milestones young people have missed as a result of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: On overhauling SUSI, the programme for Government commits to a fundamental reform to student support structures. I hope we can make progress on this in the coming period. Deputy Brendan Smith is correct that we must be much more visible in terms of students knowing how to access these supports. I encourage everybody, including every Deputy, to direct people towards yourmentalhealth.ie. For...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mental Health Services (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I look forward to visiting Cavan and Monaghan with the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, and seeing the two institutes in question. The Deputy is entirely correct and I have been making the same point to the Irish Universities Association and the education and training boards. One cannot orientate someone into college via Zoom. Students need to be brought in to the college. To be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Support Schemes (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I congratulate Deputy O'Connor on his election. I think he is the youngest Deputy in the House, as I once was, although I have now reached the ripe old age of 33. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, on which he also wrote to me. The decision on eligibility for student grant applications is a matter for Student Universal Support Ireland. For student grant purposes, students are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Support Schemes (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The determining date will be 1 October 2019 but if it is necessary for me to provide further clarity or assistance on that, I will be happy to do so. Deputy O'Connor makes a valid point. Through this example and other correspondence he has sent me, he highlights the need to overhaul the entire student support scheme. He has asked me to stand over the logic of the system. I can read out...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Support Schemes (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Connor. I am more than willing to work with the Deputy on this, knowing his knowledge, interest and past experience in the area. I assure him that we will look to best practice in other countries. I hope the establishment of our new Department provides an opportunity to bring a new focus and energy to these issues in a way that may not have been humanly possible when they...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Support Schemes (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for her willingness not to repeat the debate we have had. I know the issue of mental health is very serious and important. Some €121,000 will be allocated to IT Sligo and €164,000 will be allocated to Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, GMIT. I will provide the Deputy with a full breakdown of the funding by institution. The additional places we have...