Results 36,881-36,900 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Research and Training (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has advised that the total cost of educating an undergraduate medical student is estimated at c.€25,000 – €30,000 per student per annum. This cost is generally met from a variety of sources including state grant/fees/other income and therefore €25,000-€30,000 does not represent the total cost to the State.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Nursing Education (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that my officials have requested a copy of McHugh report on student nurse and midwife clinical placement allowances.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I thank the Chairman for inviting me, my Department and agencies of my Department to attend today. At the outset I want to commend this committee on the work it is undertaking in this area, which is hugely valuable. The way in which the committee is going about this work, in a very public and transparent way, is really helping with the important discourse that needs to happen now in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: There were loads of questions and I have little time to answer them. I want to both agree and disagree with Deputy Conway-Walsh on various matters. I will not drop the idea, as the Deputy said, that part of the issue around apprenticeships is not a lack of information, a snobbery or a cultural issue because I genuinely believe it is. That is not abdicating responsibility because I accept...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: More training on resilience would probably be useful in this game. The Senator raised a valid question. It is a point that I am trying to make here without being overly prescriptive or without crystal ball-gazing too much. There are skills that are transversal skills that I do not think our second level system as currently constructed is able to deliver on. That is not a criticism of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Deputy made an important point. I meet people all the time who say that someone will do third level or an apprenticeship. An apprenticeship is third level. The Deputy is right, in that it is a question of how we speak about it. Anything that someone does that is learning post school and is credentialled is third level.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: We do not talk about it like that, though. Instead, we ask whether we will go to third level or do an apprenticeship, but an apprenticeship is just a different way of doing third level.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I think the short answer is "Yes". We have a responsibility to build it up within our own sector as well. I am very struck by Dr. O'Connor's comments, which are hugely valid and probably broaden the discussion. If we talk about everything to do with 16- and 17-year-olds as being what happens within the school, we limit our options quite frankly. This is because schools can only do so much...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Can I make a brief point on retrofitting? I am conscious that Deputy Ó Cathasaigh raised this point. We are fully committed to it. However, I want to emphasise the point Mr. Brownlee made. It is a serious point from a policy perspective. We will not be found wanting as a Department, nor will SOLAS as an agency of our Department, in making sure we do everything we can to expand...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I endorse and agree with everything Senator Pauline O'Reilly has said. Earlier, I posed a question about climate skills in trying to help this committee with its deliberations on leaving certificate reform. While we have a role to do with third level in terms of climate and green skills, why are we retrofitting our citizens with those skills at that age when we could be doing it much...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is correct. I will ask the HEA to provide to the committee any data it has on numbers and percentages and maybe SOLAS also has some information. I will highlight two actions we are taking. One is on apprenticeships. We are setting targets for the public sector for the first time for 750 apprentices to be taken on in a year in the public sector by 2025, compared to an average of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Technological Universities (4 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy raising the matter and for his tireless work, leadership and advocacy on this matter. I was pleased to join him and colleagues from across the south east on Tuesday when we announced very clearly that the technological university for the south east will open its doors by 1 May. After decades of debate, discussion and at times uncertainty and disagreement, we now have a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Technological Universities (4 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: In returning to the question of what is a technological university, and I shared some of my views in my initial answer, I would also make the point that the answer must also partially reside in the region, because while Dublin, the Government or the Oireachtas can grant technological university status and is happy to do so, and we have a responsibility in capital funding, policies and efforts...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (3 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 to 137, inclusive, together. The Department for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is committed to the implementation of the Official Languages Act and provision of Irish-language services, and the Official Languages (Amendment) Bill 2019 is of high importance to Ireland and the life of the language in this country. It will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (3 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Student Grant Scheme, administered by SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), provides grant assistance 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 eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (3 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is available in the table below. The numbers provided are those recorded on the HEA's Student Records System (SRS) and refer the number of registered undergraduate students at a Dundalk IT in each of the years from 2016 to 2021. HEI / Mode 2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/2018 2018/2019 2019/2020 2020/2021...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (3 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The WRC’s Code of Practice provides guidance on best practice to organisations and their employees on the Right to Disconnect. Organisations should work up their own tailored policy in relation to the WRC Code of Practice. It is intended that the Code will form a part of the Department's Blended Working Policy, which will be developed in accordance with the overall Blended Working...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (4 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: SUSI does not require Rent-a-Room applicants to be registered with the RTB. However, it does seek one of the documents listed below when an applicant is seeking to be classified as an independent applicant. The documentation accepted as evidence of living independently is any of the following; - A letter confirming that the address is registered with Residential Tenancies Board (RTB); - A...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cross-Border Co-operation (4 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: While there are a number of cross-border projects in Project Ireland 2040 falling within my remit, a number of these including the investment in the Magee Campus and the all-island research hubs are currently being developed in partnership with relevant stakeholders in Northern Ireland, and as yet, costs have not yet being finalised. The Deputy will recall that along with the Taoiseach, I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cross-Border Co-operation (4 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Funding for the following projects were made in 2021. Centre for Cross Border Studies (CCBS) - €180,000 Standing Conference on Teacher Education North/ South (SCoTENS) €30,000 Universities Ireland - €30,000 Washington Ireland Programme - $106,000 George Mitchell Scholarship Programme - $407,167 While the Revised Estimates Volume will be published later this month, it...