Results 41,641-41,660 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (13 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: Officials in my Department have requested that the relevant aegis bodies, under the remit of my Department, revert to you directly on this matter as this level of information is not held by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (13 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: Under the Universities Act 1997, Technological Universities Act 2018 and the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous entities including with regard to the management of their library facilities and as such my Department has no function in this matter. My Department does, however, provide funding to the Irish Research eLibrary (IReL),...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (13 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I can confirm to the Deputy that there have been no staff seconded to my Department from the company referred to since its establishment in 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (13 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department has not awarded any contracts to PWC since its formation in August 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (13 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1381 and 1382 together. Officials from my Department are engaging with Higher Education Institutions to ascertain possible expansion on existing programmes from 2023, including in the area of radiation therapy. Any increase in student places requires corresponding placements in the health sector for students. Significant engagement is ongoing between my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (13 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I refer to the matter raised by the Deputy in the correspondence supplied. SOLAS are the body that has statutory responsibility for the national apprenticeship system. This includes responsibility for those awards issued under its predecessor bodies, FÁS and ANCO. Where an individual is seeking evidence of an apprenticeship qualification, the relevant point of contact is the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (13 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1384 to 1386, inclusive, together. Officials from my Department are engaging with Higher Education Institutions to ascertain possible expansion on existing programmes from 2023, including in the health and social care professions. Any increase in student places requires corresponding placements in the health sector for students. Significant engagement is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (13 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme where students are studying for the first time or are progressing to study at a higher level. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralized student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine. Assessment of means...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Data Protection (13 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department is committed to the highest level of data protection for the personal data which it processes and takes its compliance with data protection obligations very seriously. My Department has a range of policies in place which encompass ICT usage, removing files, Information security Policy, GDPR compliance among others. These policies apply to staff regardless of location i.e....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (14 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I am actively working to address the supply of student accommodation. Increasing costs of construction and financing are impacting on viability, and as a result a number of Universities had to pause their projects. In responding to these challenges, on 29 November 2022, Government approved development of both short and medium term policy responses to activate supply. These landmark...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (14 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: The Student Grant Scheme is the principal financial support for students participating in higher education. The Scheme provides for fee and maintenance grants to all students who meet the qualifying criteria such as means, residency, nationality and progression. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (14 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: The Construction Safety Licensing Bill 2023 provides for a new and comprehensive framework for the licensing of certain construction, quarrying and related activities in Ireland. Following an independent review of SOLAS’s Construction Services Unit in 2017 and subsequent consultation with public sector, industry, and staff representatives, all stakeholders agreed that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Proposed Legislation (14 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I fully support the introduction of the Construction Safety Licensing Bill as it represents an important contribution by my Department to strengthening the statutory framework for health and safety training in Ireland. The objective underpinning this Bill is to ensure that the number of accidents and fatalities on construction sites will fall as we continue to produce highly skilled workers...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (14 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: Under the current model, trainees who successfully complete a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) or Quarries Skills Certification Scheme (QSCS) programme receive QQI accreditation and a CSCS or QSCS card. Moving to a licensing model for the activities covered by the CSCS and QSCS programmes was a recommendation from the BearingPoint report, commissioned by SOLAS in 2017....

Education Costs: Motion [Private Members] (20 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I am pleased to join my colleague, the Minister for Education, in speaking on this motion. I hope the passion I hear from the Opposition party on reducing student fees will also be delivered in the North. In having an honest debate about college fees, I have to note the cost of student fees in Northern Ireland, where that party has been in government and held the position of Minister of...

Education Costs: Motion [Private Members] (20 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: Read your manifesto, Deputy Donnelly. You did not commit in Northern Ireland to reducing student fees. A Sinn Féin Minister for Education presided over a student loan system and the fees are the equivalent of €5,500. In this jurisdiction, the Government, of which I am proud to be part, cut college fees last time for the first time in 27 years. This year there will be a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (20 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 737 and 739 together. The Technological Universities Transformation Fund (TUTF) is a 3-year fund totalling €90 million, for the period 2020 – 2023. It will officially end on 31 August 2023, with all €90 million allocated to the seven technological higher education institutions (ATU, DkIT, IADT, MTU, SETU, TU Dublin and TUS). The fund...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy has outlined, the higher education sector currently continues to operate under the terms of an Employment Control Framework (ECF). The system operates on a number-based control approach whereby an annual ceiling for core funded posts is agreed for the sector each year. Only posts within that ceiling can involve permanent contracts. The ceiling of core funded posts has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (20 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: Thank you Deputy for the question. The details are in the attached.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Bodies (20 Jun 2023)

Simon Harris: The implementation of circular 25/2016 by each State body under the aegis of my department can be found in the attached table.