Results 35,161-35,180 of 46,522 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: It is anticipated that the number of students who will avail of the SUSI grant for the 2020/21 academic year is circa 70,700. Statistics in relation the student population for the 2020/21 academic year is not available at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 657, 681, 682, 687 and 688 together. The principal support provided by the 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 658 to 660, inclusive, together. The information requested by the Deputy is not held by my Department. NUIG is an autonomous institution within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997. Under this legislation universities are administratively independent and are entitled to regulate their own internal administrative processes. Neither I nor my Department have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Higher education institutions (HEIs) are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, Technological University’s Act 2018 and the Institute of Technology Acts 1992 -2006. Institutions have autonomy in relation to human resource policies, subject to compliance with Government policy in respect of employment numbers and pay policy, and are not under the direct...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (24 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 is online 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 academic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: As outlined in my response of the 11th November, the report referred to by the Deputy was undertaken by the University of Limerick (UL) in the context of its legislative autonomy to address and resolve issues that arise within the university. The Department understands that the report referred to was initiated by UL as part of its investigation into a protected disclosure received by it,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Meetings (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I had a video-conference meeting with the Northern Ireland Minister for the Economy last month, and while it was mainly introductory, we both acknowledged the importance of the research and innovation agenda for the continued economic development to the island of Ireland. Through Universities Ireland, I am working closely with the Presidents and Vice-chancellors of universities, both North...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (24 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 Universal Support Ireland (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the state agency with statutory responsibility for the quality assurance of further and higher education and training in Ireland. QQI is responsible for maintaining the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). The NFQ is a system of ten levels which aims to make the qualifications system in Ireland easier to understand, thus facilitating the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Universities are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, Technological University’s Act 2018 and the Institute of Technology Acts 1992 -2006. Institutions have autonomy in relation to human resource policies, subject to compliance with Government policy in respect of employment numbers and pay policy, and are not under the direct control of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Universities are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, Technological University’s Act 2018 and the Institute of Technology Acts 1992 -2006. Institutions have autonomy in relation to human resource policies, subject to compliance with Government policy in respect of employment numbers and pay policy, and are not under the direct control of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Universities are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, Technological University’s Act 2018 and the Institute of Technology Acts 1992 -2006. Institutions have autonomy in relation to human resource policies, subject to compliance with Government policy in respect of employment numbers and pay policy, and are not under the direct control of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The number of students that applied for a SUSI grant in each of the years 2015 to 2019 and to date in 2020 are provided in the attached table. ">Doc

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The Student Grant Scheme is administered by the centralised national grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), a business unit of CDETB (City of Dublin Education and Training Board), on behalf of the Department. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for SUSI to determine. If an individual applicant considers that he/she has been unjustly refused...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Under the July stimulus package an additional funding allocation of €47.5m was provided for Higher Education skills-related programmes. The higher education elements of the July stimulus package were in three broad areas – further support for Springboard+ and HCI Pillar 1 (€10m), Funding for Postgraduate provision (€22.5m), and the provision of modular...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I am conscious of the impact that Covid-19 has had on the leaving certificate class of 2021, and will take action as necessary to ensure that a full range of further and higher education options are available to them. Funding has been secured to maintain the places created for the 2020/21 academic year, and a further €18 million has been provided in Budget 2021 to deliver an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (24 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: Employment Rights (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 683 and 689 together. Postgraduate programmes are comprised of a range of elements designed to further the training and development of students. In particular PhD students, in addition to conducting research, participate in other activities to develop generic and transferable skills. These activities are regarded as an integral part of their training and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: In line with “Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19” it is a matter for Government to determine the level of public health restrictions applied and the composition of those restrictions. In “Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19” the following framework is provided in respect of further and higher education: ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Nursing Staff (24 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: While neither I nor my Department have a role in relation to financial supports for student nurses and midwives on clinical placements arranged by the relevant higher education institutions with health service providers, I am concerned at the difficulties faced by some students arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, I asked my officials to raise the matter directly with the Department...