Results 39,221-39,240 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Coast Guard Service (23 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Byrne for raising this matter. I hope he will excuse me for taking it in the unavoidable absence of the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. However, I am particularly pleased to take it because, as the Senator has rightly pointed out, it is a part of the world I know well and the station serves a part of the world I represent in Dáil Éireann. I am therefore...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Coast Guard Service (23 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank the Senator. That sounds like a very reasonable suggestion. I will convey it to the Minister of State and his officials in the OPW to see if they can link with him on when such a meeting could be arranged. I echo the Senator's comments about the vital work being carried out by the Coast Guard. It is only right and proper that the Government supports it in its vital work by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: Under my Department’s free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding towards the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students with students paying the student contribution. A key principle of the free fees schemes is to support students in progressing through a chosen course of study from year to year. Typically students are not supported for a repeat...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) Fund is the funding mechanism established to implement the National Access Plan (NAP). Strand 2 of the PATH Fund provides bursaries (1916 Bursary) to students who have been identified by their higher education institution as being the most socio-economically disadvantaged. I am pleased to say that my department has recently changed the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: Entry to medicine in Irish HEIs is provided through both undergraduate and graduate entry routes. Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is oneof the pathways to study medicine. Students pursuing graduate entry medicine (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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I would suggest that the student you are referring to contacts the Access Office in the Higher Education Institution she is attending to see if she is eligible for supports under either or both of the Student Assistance Fund or the Fund for Students with Disabilities. My department provides funding to publicly funded higher education institutions under the Student Assistance Fund (SAF)....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: Officials are compiling the data for this PQ and will forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: This information is not held by my Department. The majority of our statistics on higher education enrolments are drawn from the Student Records System (SRS) of the HEA. The HEA Student Records System (SRS) has been collecting the entry basis of students entering higher education programmes from 2018/2019 academic year. The table below outlines the overall number of first-year new entrants...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: As clarified by the Deputy, the PQ is referring to the new income bracket where those who are assessed as having a reckonable income of between €62,000 and €100,000 will be eligible for a grant of €500 towards their student contribution fees. Academic year 23/24 will mark SUSI’s twelfth year of operations as administrator of the Student Grant Scheme. During...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Process (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 534 and 535 together. The Programme for Government Our Shared Future includes a commitment to ensure that Ireland is a global leader in research and innovation across the arts, humanities, social sciences and STEM. Consequently, Impact 2030: Ireland's Research and Innovation Strategy, which I launched on the 18th of May, positions research and innovation at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Projects (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: Bundle 1 of the Higher Education Public Private Partnership Programme, comprising six projects, is currently at preferred tenderer stage. The Enbarr Partnership has been appointed as preferred tenderer and the technical, legal and commercial work streams are currently ongoing, with financial close expected shortly. Construction activities will commence on all six sites after financial close....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: My officials have requested SOLAS to compile the information sought by the Deputy and it will be forwarded when finalised.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: This information is not held by my Department. The majority of our statistics on higher education enrolments are drawn from the Student Records System (SRS) of the HEA. The HEA Student Records System (SRS) has been collecting the entry basis of students entering higher education programmes from 2018/2019 academic year. The table below outlines the overall number of first-year new entrants...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department aims to ensure that the needs of all those who access our services, including people with disabilities, are met and that rights to equal treatment are upheld in service delivery. In line with the statutory obligations set out in the Disability Act 2005, my Department is committed to making its public buildings, services and information accessible to people with disabilities. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: As part of Budget 2023, I secured a significant cost of living package for third level students, including a once-off €1,000 state financial support towards the undergraduate student contribution fee for higher education students eligible for my Department’s free fees schemes. Under this measure, eligible students will have the student contribution they are due to pay reduce...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Funding (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The necessary funding has been made available to Science Foundation Ireland and the Irish Research Council. My Department has made it clear payment should be made to students as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The most complete data set on students with disabilities collected by the HEA is the number of students reported as having a disability from the Equal Access Survey (EAS), which is a voluntary set of questions asked of first years in higher education each year. Data for the 2022/2023 academic year is not available yet. The data which the deputy is requesting is also not routinely collected by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department was established in August 2020 and commenced moving headquarters into existing State-owned office space in September 2021. Since moving my Department has secured the services of Accent Cleaning Solutions to provide contract cleaning within the building and there is one private cleaner on site Monday – Friday. To date, my Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Schemes (30 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: There are two schemes under the remit of my Department for which applicants are subject to a means test: 1. Student Grant Scheme 2. International Protection Student Scheme Other bursaries and scholarships, such as those offered under the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH), require applicants to be qualified for a particular rate of student grant and to have passed means...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Meetings (30 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department has had no staff attend any joint policing committees or city and county development boards since its establishment in July 2020.