Results 35,941-35,960 of 46,522 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Costs (5 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy, since the formation of my department, is not all readily available and is being collated by officials in my Department. A response will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (6 May 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department does not have a role in these arrangements or the placement of students enrolled on these courses. During the course of the programme, students are required to undertake placement in different services, including the National Educational Psychological Service and the Health Service Executive. The placement arrangements and conditions are a matter between the higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Protected Disclosures (6 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 143 together. Higher education institutions are independent corporate entities established under statute and on that basis are autonomous with regard to their human resource management function. However, all public sector organisations are required to comply with employment legislation and the provisions set out in the Protected Disclosures Act...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (6 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The current quota for EU entrants (including Irish entrants) to medicine stands at 708, divided between undergraduate entry (468) and graduate entry (240). This quota was established as a recommendation of the Report of the Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training, also known as the Fottrell Report. Irish students typically comprise 90% of EU entrants into medicine courses.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (6 May 2021)

Simon Harris: 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. Entry to medicine in Irish HEIs is provided through both undergraduate and graduate entry routes. Under the Department's Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer pays tuition fees on behalf of eligible first time undergraduate students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (6 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I am aware of the high number of CAO applications this year, and officials from my Department are engaging regularly with representatives from the higher education sector in relation to the 2021/22 academic year and demand for places. The CAO process applications for undergraduate courses on behalf of the Higher Education Institutions. Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs who then...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Protected Disclosures (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: As independent corporate entities higher education institutions are required in their own right to comply with the provisions of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. As legally autonomous institutions, it is a matter for each institution to ensure the provisions of the Protected Disclosures Act are fully implemented and adhered to within their own institution. The Higher Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Under this legislation the HEIs are independent and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes, including in relation to graduations. The manner in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Authority (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions via the recurrent funding model. Top sliced and ring fenced funding for specific Departmental or Sectoral strategic purposes is a component of the funding model in addition to the block...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: 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, previous academic attainment and means. The information requested by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The provision of funding for Higher Education on an annual basis is part of overall expenditure management and budgetary policy. Since 2016, as represented in the table below, there has been a significant programme of investment in higher education. Funding and policy developments taken in recent Budgets have taken significant steps to meet the funding needs of the sector including Covid-19...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Tests (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The Government has confirmed that there will be a significant increase in on-site third level activity in September, and in June I will publish a plan for reopening in a significant way for the next academic year. The potential role of rapid antigen testing as one part of a package of surveillance measures to support this greater on-site provision is recognised, but the plan will not wholly...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Tá mo Roinn tiomanta do chur chun cinn na Gaeilge. Is colún lárnach de chur chuige an rialtais é an Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030 chun a chinntiú go ndéantar an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn agus a chothú ar fud an stáit. Mar is dócha gur eol don Teachta, tá tacaíocht shonrach tugtha d’fhorbairt Acadamh na...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Funding (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: For the purposes of my reply, I will focus on projects funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), the national foundation for investment in scientific and engineering research. There may be other work funded through other Government Departments. SFI funds research in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Every year the agency has a range of funding programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Under this legislation the HEIs are independent and is entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes, including in relation to examinations. Any policy around...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Ireland is designated as a programme country under the Erasmus+ programme. As a programme country, Ireland is eligible to participate in all actions of the programme and has benefitted significantly from our participation. The policy of my Department, as national authority for the programme, has always been to strongly encourage participation in Erasmus+. The Department as national...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science was formed in summer 2020. Since formation, the Department has not made any payments to An Taisce, nor does it have any specific provision for an allocation directly to An Taisce in 2021. The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that Dundalk Institute of Technology has not purchased any property within the timeframe in question.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: On foot of the 2019 TURN report, Budget 2020 provided for new Technological University Transformation Fund of€90 million (over 3 years 2020- 2023), to assist the development and progression of TUs. The Transformation Fund supersedes the previous Higher Education Landscape Fund under which some €31 million was provided to advance TU proposals. Funding allocated under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is available in the attached table. In each of the relevant years Irish students comprised more than 90% of EU students registered on medicine courses. First Year Medicine Students by Domicile, 2016-2019 Domicile Group 2016/2017 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 Ireland 673 666 ...