Results 35,081-35,100 of 46,522 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Unions (5 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I am conscious of the challenges faced by students in relation to student accommodation this year due to financial pressures and the blended learning format of the 2020/21 academic year. Throughout the last number of months my Department has been engaging with representatives from the higher education sector to address the challenges faced by students in this difficult time. My Department, in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Graduate Support Schemes (5 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The report of the Higher Education Authority’s Graduate Outcomes Survey: Class of 2018 provides the findings of the second iteration of a sector wide analysis of higher education graduate outcomes in Ireland. In a strengthening labour market, higher educational attainment levels have been linked with higher employment rates. As outlined in the report, persons aged 25-64 with a third...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (5 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The purpose of the student grant scheme is to provide additional assistance where parental income is below a certain threshold or in the case of independent mature students, where the level of income of the student and his or her spouse warrants additional assistance by way of a grant. The aim of the student maintenance grant scheme is to make a contribution towards the cost of going to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (5 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by the Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the terms of the Grant 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...

Confidence in Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Motion (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I am delighted to express confidence in the Tánaiste. I am genuinely worried about the direction of political discourse in our country. I am worried that we now live in a world and in a country where some strive to see those with political differences as enemies rather than decent people with opposing views. I am worried that there is a real effort under way to have us live in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I am very conscious of the impact the pandemic has had on our students. To ensure the safety of our students and staff in further and higher education, the majority of college will be online for this semester. In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students the Government has approved once off funding of €50m to provide additional financial assistance in this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I am conscious of the challenges faced by students in relation to student accommodation this year due to financial pressures and the blended learning format of the 2020/21 academic year. Throughout the last number of months my Department has been engaging with representatives from the higher education sector to address the challenges faced by students in this difficult time. My Department, in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: 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. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for SUSI to determine. For...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 567, 571 and 575 together. Students pursuing GEM programmes do so as second degree courses and consequently are not eligible for free fees funding or for student grants. However, in order to widen access to GEM programmes, and give assistance towards the financial burden on each student pursuing these programmes, the fees of participating EU students are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Student Grant 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. To satisfy the terms and conditions of the Student Grant Scheme in relation to progression, a student must be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 569 and 572 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the student's access route including previous education. Under the Department's Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer pays tuition fees on behalf of eligible undergraduate students attending approved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware to avail of the graduate entry route for medicine, a primary degree in another discipline is necessary. Accordingly such students are ineligible for grant assistance on the basis that they already hold an undergraduate degree. SUSI holds data on students who have applied for grant support so therefore it is not possible to identify the total number of graduate entry...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I am conscious of the challenges faced by students in relation to student accommodation this year due to financial pressures and the blended learning format of the 2020/21 academic year. Throughout the last number of months my Department has been engaging with representatives from the higher education sector to address the challenges faced by students in this difficult time. My Department, in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Centres Programme (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: SFI Research Centres are research centres of global scale and reputation, undertaking excellent research. All the Research Centre awards are for the duration of six years. These SFI Research Centres are funded to focus on areas of strategic importance to Ireland and are expected to deliver scientific excellence with economic and societal impact. The Centres are expected to leverage equal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capital Expenditure Programme (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The following table includes the information requested by the Deputy. As budgets for projects that have not yet reached the contract award stage are commercially sensitive, I have included a cost range. Name Description Completion Cost Range (€m) DFHERIS Contribution (€m) UCD Future Campus Phase 1 project. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Industrial Relations (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: It is of course important for all employers and employee representatives to work to create and maintain a positive and progressive industrial relations environment. I understand that in this instance the Irish Management Institute (IMI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of University College Cork (UCC) and a private company and its staff are private employees. In that context, any internal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (10 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: My department was just established in June of this year with the formation of the new Government. The following are the roles filled from Public Appointments Service panels since the establishment of the Department. Principal Officer 3 Assistant Principal Officer 0 Higher Executive Officer 0 Executive Officer...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (11 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Courses Accreditation (11 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: GMIT offers bachelor of business in rural enterprise and agri-business programmes which result in awards at both Levels 7 and 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). On successful completion of years 1 and 2 of these programmes, students may apply to Teagasc for a letter of equivalence to a QQI Green Cert (Specific Purpose Certificate in Farm Business Administration). Specific...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (11 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 178 together. Universities, including University of Limerick (UL), are autonomous institutions with responsibility for the management of their day-to-day affairs which may in some instances, require the examination and reporting on specific matters within the university. In that context, and as previously advised, the report referred to by the...