Results 36,941-36,960 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department has no responsibility for the agreement of any extension of contractual arrangements, should such be the case, as the TUSEI consortium of IT Carlow and Waterford IT is the contracting party for the services of the consultancy firm referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department does not hold individualised data of learners in further and higher education. Such data is held by SOLAS in the Programme and Learner Support Systems (PLSS) and by the HEA in their Student Records System (SRS), as well as by the further and higher education institutions themselves. As such, analysis of learner data is typically undertaken by the Statistics Unit in the HEA or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: This data is not collected on an annual basis. Data on the transition rate from further to higher education was collated as part of a working paper on the topic, published in 2020. Two different measures of the transition rate were identified. The first is CAO acceptances. In 2017 7.3% (3,517) of CAO acceptances were by candidates who were offered their course on the basis of a QQI/FET...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (16 Nov 2021)

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: Departmental Reports (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that my officials have received a copy of the McHugh report and are reviewing its contents.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The development of a Public Sector Benchmark (PSB) is now a key part of the Value for Money assessment prior to proceeding with a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project. The PSB represents the full estimated cost, including risk to the State of delivering the project using “traditional” public sector procurement. The National Maritime College of Ireland, which is part of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The development of a Public Sector Benchmark (PSB) is now a key part of the Value for Money assessment prior to proceeding with a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project. The PSB represents the full estimated cost, including risk to the State of delivering the project using “traditional” public sector procurement. The Cork School of Music, which is part of Munster...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: As the deputy is aware, the Carlow Institute of Further Education & Training was delivered as part of the School Bundle 5 Public Private Partnership (PPP) project. The development of a Public Sector Benchmark (PSB) is now a key part of the Value for Money assessment prior to proceeding with a PPP project. The PSB represents the full estimated cost, including risk to the State of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: As the deputy is aware, the development of a Public Sector Benchmark (PSB) is now a key part of the Value for Money assessment prior to proceeding with a PPP project. The PSB represents the full estimated cost, including risk to the State of delivering the project using “traditional” public sector procurement. It is the practice in the education sector to allow...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (16 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by the Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the terms of the Student 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 which relate to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (17 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The main support provided by my Department in terms of financial supports is the 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 Student Grant Scheme,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pension Provisions (17 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Third level institutes are responsible for the administration of the pension schemes under their remit and will be aware of their responsibility to operate in accordance with the provisions of the relevant pension schemes. I respect the autonomy of the third level institutions and their responsibility to operate in compliance with regulations. I understand that officials are engaging...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (17 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Terms and conditions of employment, including membership of a public service pension scheme, are a matter in the first instance for the employer. In line with Sections 53 and 54 of the Technological Universities Act 2018, the transition from Institute of Technology to Technological University will not have an impact on this matter. My officials are available to engage with Higher Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (17 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Please see table attached outlining HEA’s operational expenses from the period 2016-2020 broken down between pay and non-pay expenditure.

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

Simon Harris: Growth in education and training provision in green skills and sustainability is ongoing across the Tertiary Education sector. A range of options from short courses targeted at awareness building, upskilling and reskilling programmes to full and part-time academic and vocational programmes. The curricula of many other programmes will also include elements and modules targeted to green skills...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (17 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled by SOLAS. An answer will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (17 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The main support available to assist postgraduate students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. As per Article 14 (2) of the Student Grant Scheme 2021, a student is not eligible for a grant if they have been awarded or hold a grant, scholarship, prize, allowance or bursary which is made from public funds in the State, or equivalent from a Member State, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (17 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The current apprentice population has an average craft apprentice age of 20 years, for all other apprentices this is 27 years.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (17 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 166 together. The attached Excel spreadsheet contains information relating to PQs 56390/21, and 56427/21, as regards (a) the number of graduate entry medical students in each year since 2006, excluding non-EU international students, and (b) the number of places in medicine in each institution by undergraduate and graduate entry medicine for students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (17 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Please see table attached outlining funding provided to Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) each year since 2008 as administered via the HEA. ">RCSI Funding