Results 41,781-41,800 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Appointments (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: The Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour details the requirements for all staff members on the acceptance of outside appointments following resignation or retirement where the nature and terms of such appointment could lead to a conflict of interest or the perception of such. In addition, it also states that civil servants who hold positions which are “designated...

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

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. As the Deputy will be aware, Higher Education Institutions are autonomous institutions responsible for their own academic affairs including the curriculum and student numbers on individual courses. Where the State seeks to see an...

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

Simon Harris: The Deputy may be aware that the State currently provides supports for broadening access to Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) programmes through the part-subsidy of places for EU students, with the fees payable by the student determined by the higher education institution, taking the availability of this subsidy into account. My Department has been working to address the cost of GEM provision by...

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

Simon Harris: 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. For non-EU places in medicine, as the Deputy will be aware, the tuition fee payable by non-EU students are determined by the institution...

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

Simon Harris: Assessment of means under the Student Grant Scheme 2023 is based on gross income fromall sources, of the dependent applicant and his/her parents. No deduction is given for outgoings with the exception of pension contributions, legally enforceable maintenancepayments and employment related expenses as approved by Revenue. For the purposes of determining the reckonable income of an applicant,...

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

Simon Harris: It is a priority of my Department to expand the pathways to tertiary education by providing a multitude of routes outside the traditional CAO process. As the Deputy is aware, there are a range of options in the system that learners can consider. For those who do not gain access to their course of choice via the CAO system, there are many alternative education paths available to them. That...

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

Simon Harris: Further Education and Training (FET) courses are delivered, or contracted, by the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) across the country at levels 1-6 on the NFQ. While this is under the funding and strategic direction of SOLAS, the ETBs decide on the level and nature of provision, including healthcare-related courses, based on local demand in consultation with SOLAS. In 2022, just...

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

Simon Harris: Late last year, I was delighted to announce that the proposal for the project referred to by the Deputy was successful at the first stage of the assessment process under the FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that since then my department has worked closely with SOLAS in developing a suite of templates and guidance notes in line with Public...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: The revised National Development Plan (NDP) provides for Exchequer investment of nearly €2.9 billion in further and higher education infrastructure, research and innovation over the five-year period 2021–2025. The capital allocation in 2022 was €537m. In addition there were carryover of monies of €31.2m from 2021 available in 2022. The capital allocation in 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (13 Jul 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department currently has two interns from the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES). These IGEES interns will be working with the Department for a 12 week period from June 26th2023. The Department does not presently have any apprenticeships or graduate schemes in operation. The information in respect of the aegis bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (21 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: I join Deputy Farrell in recognising the major milestone that starting third level education is for so many young people, and indeed not-so-young people. The Deputy and I have not met in the House since the results came out. This year, we saw three out of five students getting their top choice of course, and I acknowledge that achievement. However, the Deputy is right that the housing...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (21 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: On the issue of cost, there are a number of ways the Government can help with the cost of rent, specifically for students. Last year, the Deputy will be aware that we got the finance Bill changed to make sure students could avail of the rent tax credit, including if they were renting a room or digs, and that their parents could avail of it if they were renting college-owned accommodation or...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (21 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: I appreciate the Deputy's sincerity on this, and I will work with her on it. I have talked to the Union of Students in Ireland, USI, the UCD students' union and many students about this. As I said in our previous exchange, this is about getting this right. We need to make sure that every student and homeowner goes into this with their eyes wide open. If someone rents a room in a house,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (21 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Murphy for raising this issue with me, as she does regularly. I think she is also a former student of the Wexford campus. I am delighted that we now have a South East Technological University, SETU. It is key. We have given a very clear commitment that, as part of that, there has to be a real and meaningful campus in Wexford. They are not just my words, though they are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (21 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: I assure the Deputy that the reference I made to €1 million was in respect of money given to the technological universities for planning for student accommodation. We have a much larger capital budget available. In fact, we have a new fund, the technological sector strategic projects fund, TSSPF. That fund will be available to Professor Campbell and others to take forward projects,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (21 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: I agree with the Deputy's last point. I am fed up with the lecturing tone that is taken to farmers. They know better than most about the climate. They are out on their farms while we are talking about it in the Dáil. They can see the changes and want sustainability, as I heard at the National Ploughing Championships. Research is our friend as we seek to come up with innovative...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Reports (21 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: I have to wait to read the Deputy's submission. I thank her for the question. It is that awkward time at parliamentary questions where I am supposed to say that these are matters for budget day on 10 October, which is true. We are in the period where Departments are engaging on what their budget allocations will look like next year. Let us start with what we know. I want to see us take...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Reports (21 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: If you are sitting at home and having to find €3,000, you do not care what the Government calls it. It is effectively a fee in the sense that it is a bill that must be paid. If you have more than one child in college at the same time, as many people do, the impact is very real. The cost of going to college is, of course, even more expensive if students have to move out of home. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Reports (21 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: I fully accept that students and parents are in no way immune to the cost-of-living crisis. We are living through an inflationary crisis, the likes of which has not been seen since the 1970s, and that is having a real impact on people in making ends meet; there are no two ways about that. That is why we put in place a number of measures last year to help students, parents and families, and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (21 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: It is not that; it is grubby behaviour that should be called out as exactly what it is. The Government could not be clearer; the student accommodation in Sligo will not be used for anything other than students as far as the State is concerned. I am beyond disappointed that despite that message being clearly conveyed, private student accommodation is sitting, to my understanding, largely...