Results 41,081-41,100 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, the cost of living response in Budget 2023 included, for the 2022/23 academic year, a once off reduction of €1,000 in the student contribution payable by free fees eligible undergraduate students. Separately I was pleased to secure Government agreement to the introduction of a permanent new rate of student contribution support through SUSI from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: There is no apprenticeship registration fee, for either employers or apprentices. There is a very substantial allocation of resources to apprenticeships, drawing on the funding raised through the Employer Training Levy into the National Training Fund. Calculating a cost-per-apprentice is a complex matter involving fixed costs, such as programme development costs, and variable costs per...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Free fees, together with the recurrent grant, collectively constitute the State’s contribution to the ‘core’ funding of higher education institutions (HEIs), that is, the funding of the key missions of teaching, learning and research. These are allocated as a block grant by my Department to the HEA for direct disbursement to the designated HEIs and, together with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Reviews (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Since it was established in August 2020, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has not undertaken any legislative reviews of the type referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: It is not true to say that the new competitive research funding agency, which the General Scheme of the Research and Innovation Bill 2023 will seek to establish, will be solely driven by enterprise and industrial initiatives and lead to under-investment in research other than research which may be deemed to have immediate commercial benefits. The General Scheme of the Research and Innovation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The Impact 2030strategy clearly sets out the Government’s ambition for Ireland to be a research and innovation leader. The objectives of that strategy include the promotion and support of excellence in research and innovation across alldisciplines, spanning fundamental research to applied research activity. Importantly, the strategy also highlights the importance of growing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The General Scheme of the Research and Innovation Bill forms a key part of Impact 2030: Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy. Its main purpose is the formation of a new competitive research funding agency through the amalgamation of the functions and activities of Science Foundation Ireland the Irish Research Council. This represents a significant opportunity for all of us to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to details of apprenticeships in each local authority area has been compiled for the latest full year of data available (2022) and is set out in the table. Employer Apprenticeship Apprentices Clare County Council Accounting Technician 4 Cork City...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The National Student Accommodation Strategy was launched in July 2017 and was designed to further support the development of purpose built student accommodation. At this point there were c. 33,000 student accommodation beds in the country. The strategy runs until 2024. It complements the initiatives to increase supply under Rebuilding Ireland. A total of 21,000 additional PBSA beds to be...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 May 2023)

Simon Harris: It is a great day for Clonmel. I can confirm, and I have confirmed by way of a statement, that we have made the decision to decouple both Clonmel and Macroom Garda stations from the PPP bundle. This means they will both be able to go direct to Exchequer-funded build and I expect Clonmel Garda station to go to construction next year.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: An Garda Síochána (16 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank my colleague and friend, Senator Ahearn, for raising this matter again. He has raised it on many occasions on behalf of the people of Clonmel. It is a huge issue for people and members of An Garda Síochána in the town. We need to provide the people of Clonmel and County Tipperary with this new Garda station in Kickham Barracks. It has been on the priority list for quite...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: An Garda Síochána (16 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Tipperary has such a proud tradition of supporting An Garda Síochána, with the Garda College based in Templemore. We saw another class of Garda recruits enter this week. This is a year when we will begin to see Garda numbers grow again after the Covid pandemic, with more people becoming members of An Garda Síochána than leaving it. That is happening in Templemore. It...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Emergency Services (16 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this matter and, more important, for his ongoing work, leadership and advocacy on this. I thank him for meeting with me and my officials and the team in the Department of Justice on a number of dates and for constantly keeping this issue on the agenda. I share his view. I know, as Minister for Justice and as a former Minister for Health, that every day...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Emergency Services (16 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I commend Senator Gallagher on his work, for using the Seanad to really try to bring forward good change, and using in a proper way the office he holds to try to bring forward positive legislative change which I believe will help keep our front-line workers, including members of An Garda Síochána, more safe as they go about their duty. It is also something which they, and their...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Foreign Conflicts (11 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I am very conscious of the grave humanitarian crisis in Sudan. I understand that this is a difficult situation for our Sudanese community and their loved ones and I can assure you that all current immigration avenues remain open for new applications, including visa and family reunification applications. My Department will process any new applications received speedily and sympathetically...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (11 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) has oversight of the registration and renewal of immigration permissions for persons residing outside of the Dublin area. The responsibility for the registration function at Immigration Offices outside of the Dublin Metropolitan Region rests with local Superintendents or the relevant Detective Superintendent. The waiting...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (11 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I can advise the Deputy that the application he refers to was created on the 11 April, 2022. Supporting documentation was received in the Belgrade office on the 11 July, 2022. The application was received in the Dublin Visa Office on the 19 August, 2022 where it awaits examination and processing. Long Stay Join Family visa applications are processed in accordance with the guidelines set...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Policy (11 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I understand this is a difficult situation for our Afghan community and their loved ones. My Department has issued 450 approvals for beneficiaries under the Afghan Admission Programme as of 10 May and continues to process the remaining applications. To date no refusal letters have issued. A total of 528 applications in respect of 1,492 potential beneficiaries were received under the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Civil Service (11 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 235 and 236 together. I have contacted An Garda Síochána for the information requested by the Deputy, regretfully this information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (11 May 2023)

Simon Harris: An application by the person concerned under the Regularisation of Long Term Undocumented Migrants scheme was received by the Undocumented Unit of my Department on 16 May, 2022 and continues to be processed. Due to the large number of applications on hand it is not possible to provide a definitive timeframe for a decision to issue. The processing times of applications will vary depending...