Results 36,981-37,000 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Examinations (23 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Government statement that there will be no change in current arrangements for student attendance and on-site activities in school, further and higher education institutions in line with COVID response plans for those sectorshighlights that there is no change planned to the current arrangements for student attendance and on-site activities for the further and higher education sector. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (23 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: Third Level Education (24 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 are available 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (24 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Apprentices end their registration for a variety of reasons including failed assessments, pursuing another career or educational programme or personal reasons such as serious illness etc. 2,818 apprentices withdrew from craft apprenticeships between 2016 and 2020. The non-completion rate per craft apprenticeship over the four year period 2016-2020 is attached.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Examinations (24 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Government statement that there will be no change in current arrangements for student attendance and on-site activities in school, further and higher education institutions in line with COVID response plans for those sectorshighlights that there is no change planned to the current arrangements for student attendance and on-site activities for the further and higher education sector. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (24 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: DCU’s new ‘Future-Tech’ building will provide a new state-of-the-art science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) facility. Responding to the significant demographic pressures in DCU’s hinterland, the 10,000m² facility located at the main entrance of DCU Glasnevin Campus on Collins Ave will accommodate 3,000 additional STEM students, and house...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (24 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Tyndall National Institute was established in 2004 as a partnership between Government and University College Cork, to provide a national focal point for excellence in deep-tech research, development and graduate training in ICT. As a key national Institute, Tyndall works through world-class teams performing ground-breaking research on new materials, devices and systems with an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The matter of health workforce planning and ensuring an appropriate pipeline of qualified healthcare workers within Ireland, is a major priority for my Department. This would be a priority even in normal times, but the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant strain on our healthcare sector, further underscores its importance. The Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (24 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Since 2011 no member of staff of my department has had their contract terminated or been transferred to another section due to breaches of standards or professional misconduct.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (25 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 to 299, inclusive, together. The funding allocations under the co-funded Higher Education Strategic Infrastructure Fund (HESIF) programme were done by way of competitive call against set criteria outlined in the call document. The criteria included, quality and impact, value for money, capacity to deliver and alignment with Higher Education Institutions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (25 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Government statement that there will be no change in current arrangements for student attendance and on-site activities in school, further and higher education institutions in line with COVID response plans for those sectorshighlights that there is no change planned to the current arrangements for student attendance and on-site activities for the further and higher education sector. It is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for the question. Obviously, the support and well-being of students are a major priority for me and my Department. They are a major priority for all Members of the House and we have endeavoured to reflect that in the significant steps to increase funding for this purpose. Like the Deputy, I am very conscious of the pressures on students, including those arising from...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will know, the SUSI scheme is demand led. I can set the criteria and I can improve the criteria, but ultimately it is a demand-led scheme. Money can only be drawn down from that scheme where applicants qualify for that scheme. As of 21 November, just a few days ago, SUSI had received almost 97,000 applications. Almost 94,000 of them have been assessed of which 74,600 have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Deputy said students need clarity on it; I believe students have clarity on it. Tomorrow I will meet all student union presidents throughout the country in a meeting convened by the Union of Students in Ireland, USI. We regularly and I personally engage with student unions. I take the point about the millions. It is peculiar for the Deputy to suggest that because we are providing such...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I do not think we are allowed to repeat the title of the demonstration in this House.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Deputy did not and I am well aware of it. Students being able to demonstrate in a socially distanced and Covid-appropriate way is an important part of students highlighting issues of concern to them. I thank the Deputy for her question. I have engaged closely with student representatives on issues concerning the costs of higher education. USI will concur on that point. We have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I point out that in the time I have been in this role, we have seen four changes to the SUSI student grant scheme. We have seen the first increase in the postgraduate SUSI grant. We have seen the first general rise in the student support scheme that the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, and I introduced in the budget. We have seen the threshold increase so that more families qualify...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Those statistics around the European Union only hold up because the United Kingdom and, sadly, Northern Ireland are no longer in the European Union. We certainly will not implement the system that the UK and Northern Ireland has for student loans. I do not believe in them or that they work. I have yet to see a country that has implemented this successfully. I also do not like the concept...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Examinations (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising an important and timely question. Higher education and research and further education and training, including apprenticeship have been confirmed and reconfirmed by the Government as an essential service in the course of the pandemic. They continue, therefore, to take place on-site, consistent with the safe return plan published by my Department last June and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Examinations (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Respectfully, the last time I took Oral Questions in the House the Deputy was asking me to increase on-site attendance and I shared that view with her. I said to her then what I will say now, albeit in a different context. Everything must be done in the context of public health and the framework we have agreed with all stakeholders, including students, their union and, crucially, the Chief...