Results 35,961-35,980 of 46,522 for speaker:Simon Harris

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

Simon Harris: Under the Department's Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer pays tuition fees on behalf of eligible first time undergraduate students attending approved full-time undergraduate courses (including medicine courses). In order to qualify for funding under the Department’s Free Fees Initiative, students must meet the criteria of the scheme including previous education attainment. The...

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. The funding allocated to my Department, as set down in the annual Estimates, is used to meet costs associated with the provision of further and higher education, labour market initiatives including skills, and Irish research and development. The allocation is provided both...

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

Simon Harris: My Department is actively engaging with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) about the demand for higher education places in 2021 and will take action as necessary to ensure the availability of a full range of further and higher education options for applicants in 2021 and beyond. However the HEIs are autonomous bodies under the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Acts...

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

Simon Harris: The number of staff currently employed in my Department is 157 full-time equivalent staff and the 2021 payroll allocation for my Department’s staff is €12,383,000*. * Includes overtime

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

Simon Harris: My Department's communications team has four staff, and is responsible for communicating the work of the Department to the citizen. My Department does not employ firms or staff to deal with public relations.

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

Simon Harris: I am comitted to implementation of the commitmets set out in New Decade New Approach, including that the Government is willing in principle to contribute to capital investment to support expanded provision at Ulster University Magee Campus, alongside the commitment made as part of the agreement by the UK Government. My Department is working closely with the Department of Taoiseach and in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (12 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The National Student Accommodation Strategy (NSAS) was published in 2017 and is designed to support the delivery of an increased level of supply of purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) by reducing planning barriers for public and private sector developers of student accommodation and seeking to address financing barriers for our higher education institutions. The aim is to reduce the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (12 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Waterford Institute of Technology is autonomous within the meaning the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006. Under this legislation WIT is independent and is entitled to regulate its own academic affairs and administrative processes, including in relation to the awarding of degrees. It is not within my remit to intervene in these matters. WIT is a prescribed public body under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (12 May 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department expended €13,032.86 to date 2021 in respect of the "Covid-19 and young people" campaign, and €6251.24 in support of the "Keep it Small, Keep it Safe, Keep your Distance" social media campaign in 2020. These were social media campaigns and were serviced on behalf of the department by PHD media. No further spend on either campaign is currently envisaged by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (13 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 361 and 364 together. Universities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous and determine their own procedures for admission. The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on their behalf. Decisions on admissions are made by the higher education institutions who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (13 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by my 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. Courses that are part-time...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (13 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I am arranging for information to be collected on the numbers of students who would be encompassed by the question and will revert to the Deputy in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (13 May 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department is actively engaging with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) about the demand for higher education places in 2021 and will take action as necessary to ensure the availability of a full range of further and higher education options for applicants in 2021 and beyond. However the HEIs are autonomous bodies under the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Acts...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (13 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is available in the attached table.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (13 May 2021)

Simon Harris: As this report relates to 2020 Green Public Procurement, it is being prepared by the Department of Education on a shared service basis, and the report will be inclusive of both Departments. It will be submitted to the EPA and published as part of the Department's Annual Report for 2020 which will be available on my Department’s website. In line with the EPA Reporting on Green...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (13 May 2021)

Simon Harris: 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 partly subsidised by the State via the Higher Education Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (18 May 2021)

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. All...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (18 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I have advised the Minister for the Economy of the Irish Government's decision to facilitate the continued access for Northern Ireland students to Erasmus mobilities in Europe and my officials remain in contact with their counterparts in Northern Ireland. My officials are continuing to work with higher education institutions, North and South to finalise the administrative procedures to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (18 May 2021)

Simon Harris: As these mobilities for a key element of the student's programme of study, each application for mobility must be approved by the Northern Ireland higher education institution.  In tandem with this, there must be an individual learning agreement between the partner institutions.  This has always been a key component of any Erasmus mobility.  Once these elements are in place, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 May 2021)

Simon Harris: COVID-19 related suspension of practical training in Training Centres, Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities has had a significant impact on the ability of craft apprentices to access off-the-job training leading to an increase in waiting times for completion of practical training and assessment and an effective extension of the duration of some craft apprenticeship...