Results 35,121-35,140 of 46,522 for speaker:Simon Harris

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I will comment on the student accommodation and will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, to comment on the apprenticeship issue. I will level with the Deputy here and I am sure he will remind me of these comments in the future. I do not think our policy on student accommodation is working. I do not think it is robust enough and the State does not have enough levers to pull. I...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his leadership and many years of work on the issue, about which I feel very passionate. One of the reasons for people not knowing about it is the institutionalised stigma that exists. We talk about destigmatising illiteracy and the likes, as we should, but we as leaders are not talking about it enough because we are rightly busy promoting our country as being a...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I do not want anyone thinking I am getting a residence out of it. I proudly live in Greystones but the new Department is currently based temporarily in Leeson Lane in the Department of Transport. That is where we are squatting and the Office of Public Works, OPW, is trying to identify some physical accommodation. The fact that the overwhelming majority of people are working from home in...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I think it was Dublin City University and Trinity but I will check that. I will follow up what the Deputy says on UL and Sligo. It is my clear view that if it is university-owned or institute of technology-owned campus accommodation, they should be providing refunds or coming to an alternative flexible arrangement. I am disappointed to hear that. After I meet the presidents next week, I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (17 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: Medical Research and Training (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is responsible for collecting, analysing and disseminating student and graduate data from all HEA-funded higher education institutions (HEIs). There follows first-year enrolments on both undergraduate and graduate entry medicine degree programmes for the 2018/19 academic year. Data in relation to enrolments in the 2019/2020 academic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2021 (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 638 and 641 together. In Budget 2021, no additional ring-fenced funding towards domestic violence services relates to my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (17 Nov 2020)

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 e.g. progressing to postgraduate study. To qualify for grant support, a student has to meet various criteria such as means, residency, nationality and progression. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2021 (17 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Applicants who wish to apply for a Springboard+ course must have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to the programme and meet other eligibility criteria. A stamp 2 visa indicates permission to study a full time course on the official Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) for a specified period,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: This Department was formally established under the transfer of functions order dated 21 October 2020 with the functions transferring from the Department of Education. The Department of Education and Skills 2019 Appropriation Accounts disclosed three categories of contingent liabilities, none of which are relevant to this Department. My Department will as part of the 2020 Appropriation Account...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (17 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: Student Accommodation (17 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 of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Statements (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I very much welcome the opportunity to update the House on some of the work of the new Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science just under five months on from its creation and the formation of the Government. I very much appreciate the support and interest from all sides of the Oireachtas for a new stand-alone Department to place a renewed focus on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 267 and 278 together. I am conscious of the difficulties being experienced by students and their families as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and of the importance of the Student Grant Scheme and related supports, such as the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. These supports have a fundamental role in assisting students and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Functions (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: In June 2020, it was announced by the Taoiseach that certain science and research functions would transfer from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.  The two Departments have been working closely to agree the details and arrangements for the transfer of functions, and it is anticipated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Via the process of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), a person may gain admission to a programme of study or may gain exemptions/credits from some parts of a programme based on demonstrated learning. This demonstrated learning may have been achieved through another programme of study, through work or through other learning experiences. The Qualifications and Quality Assurance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: A summary of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science funding allocations for 2021 is set out in Chapter 9 (pages 83 to 88) of the 2021 Expenditure Report that was published on 13 October 2020 as part of 2021 Budget day documentation. This sets out the main areas identified for funding in 2021, with the caveat that this does not reflect transfers of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: As of midnight on Wednesday 21 October 2020, all of Ireland has been placed on Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID. Under the Level 5 measures, higher and further education is designated as essential insofar as onsite presence is required and education activities cannot be held remotely. Given the scale and diversity within third-level provision, higher and further education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The number of grant recipients in Cavan and Monaghan for the 2020/21 academic year are as follows: Cavan: 1,386 Monaghan: 1,162