Results 38,041-38,060 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department has received correspondence from the student detailed and my officials have already been in contact on the question of continuing to access education in Ireland.  Once I was alerted to the situation regarding Irish citizens studying medicine in the Ukraine, officials from my Department met with the Deans of the Medical Schools in Ireland on a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 608, 609 and 610 together. The costs incurred by a Higher Education Institution in increasing student places on a particular course can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the individual circumstances of the relevant Higher Education Institution. It is therefore not possible to definitively calculate the costs sought. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Programmes (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Significant progress has been made regarding the Framework for Consent in Higher Education since it was first launched in 2019. The Framework aims to ensure the creation of an institutional campus culture which is safe, respectful and supportive. In 2019, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) awarded €350,000 in performance funding in recognition of the impact of the programme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ukraine War (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department and the bodies under its aegis have not awarded any contracts outside the standard procurement process to assist with the arrival of displaced persons arriving from the Ukraine.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The Department does not employ any external person or firm to deal with public relations. There has not been any spending by the Department on public relations.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: It is my Department's policy intention that, over a number of years, additional annual core funding of €307million will be prioritised through the Estimates process in order to deliver on the increased level of funding identified in this framework, while taking account of the Government’s budgetary and fiscal stance.  It should be noted that the annual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department is considering how a borrowing framework for technological universities (TUs) might be developed in the first instance for the provision of student accommodation. The impacts, risks and responsibilities arising from such borrowing are key considerations in this context. In addition to accessing borrowing on commercially viable and appropriate terms such as  would not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Reform (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: On the 4th of May I launched Funding the Future – a landmark policy on the future of higher education. The policy sets out the vision and direction of higher education funding, our commitment to addressing legacy issues in higher education and detailing our ambitious plans for investment and reform. Funding the Future was created as part of a Department of Further and Higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Reform (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: On the 4thof May I launched Funding the Future – a landmark policy on the future of higher education. Funding the Future, which was approved for publication by Government, settles the question on funding Higher Education. The Government has decided that income contingent loans for fees will not form part of the future funding model. Instead, the Government is committing to a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disability Services (11 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 215 together. I would like to thank the Deputy for the question in relation to dedicated full-time access or disability support staff in further and higher education providers. As part of their core grant funding which is allocated on a block grant basis from the HEA, HEIs are expected to put in place an access infrastructure to support equity of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (11 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The information the Deputy has requested is not collated by my Department. Officials from my  Department are liaising with the HEA and SOLAS who are working on collating the data required. The information will be provided directly to the Deputy's office, once available, in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Wildlife Conservation (11 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department does not have a policy in place to install such artificial structures.  However, my Department is committed to implementing green public procurement (GPP) policies in all appropriate tenders including landscaping tenders. The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (12 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Craft apprentices are eligible for certain allowances during their off-the-job training such as meal, travel and rent allowances. These allowances are paid in addition to the craft training allowances that apprentices receive while they are attending off the job training. All apprentices are primarily employees and as such, eligible apprentices are also entitled to access general employment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (12 May 2022)

Simon Harris: 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, approved course, previous academic attainment and means. Particular priority is afforded to those on the lowest incomes and social welfare dependents...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (12 May 2022)

Simon Harris: 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 relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (12 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Under the Further Education and Training Act (2013), SOLAS has statutory responsibility for planning, funding, and co-ordinating Further Education and Training (FET) in Ireland. My officials have referred your query to SOLAS for direct reply on this individual matter. If you do not receive a response from SOLAS within 30 days, please do come back to my office for further follow-up.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (12 May 2022)

Simon Harris: In relation to the request of 22 March, the Deputy's question did instigate an investigation of the matter in SOLAS via this Department. The follow up question of 26 April was answered nine working days later on 9th May. The response issued was as follows - I refer to a Parliamentary Question on 26 April 2022 in which you asked if the case of a person (details supplied) attending...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (12 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The Central Applications Office (CAO) is a not-for-profit company created by the Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It processes applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on the behalf of HEIs. Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. My Department does not have a role in the operation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 559, 566 and 567 together. Concerns have been raised in relation to aspects of the governance process associated with UL’s acquisition of the former Dunnes Stores site in Limerick City Centre in 2019. The site acquisition in question was not grant-funded by the Exchequer. An independent review of the site acquisition process was commissioned...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The loans available for GEM students are private arrangements between the relevant lenders and the students applying for such loans. Notwithstanding this position my Department has been made aware of reports regarding the specific loan scheme for graduate entry medicine and is currently seeking further information on this issue. The fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety...