Results 42,341-42,360 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge that this is an issue the Deputy has championed and highlighted in this House for a long time. She has raised it on a number of occasions, including at Leaders' Questions. I acknowledge that. It is also an issue that has been dragging on for too long. I know that is very much the conviction of the adult education tutors and those who represent them. They play a central role...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I am looking forward to visiting Carlow College with Deputy Murnane O'Connor shortly. I thank both Deputies for raising this important issue. My understanding is that very good progress was made on agreeing the grades. I hope I did not suggest it, but this is not to suggest that the work an adult education tutor does is similar to another job. It is aligning the terms and conditions with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I join with the Deputy in sending my condolences to the family of Lorcan McNamee and I understand from Deputy Harkin’s contribution the important contribution that he made in regard to adult education tutors. May he rest in peace. The proposal was for an increment to be awarded following the completion of 1,043 contact hours, rather than on the completion of 52 weeks worked. As I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I particularly thank Deputy Burke for arranging the very useful meeting that I had recently in regard to the SOLAS and ETB provision in Bishopstown, Cork. I found it very insightful to hear from people on the front line and thank those people working on the provision of apprenticeships for that work. Apprenticeship waiting times refer to individuals and the length of time that they are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: Well, of course, they are not the facts, because the facts show me-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I am not doing this.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I am not doing this. I am not doing this shouting. If interest was measured in decibels, you would win the contest every time, but we do not need to shout and roar at each other. You asked me a question and I am going to answer it. You might listen. In the Cork training centre alone, there are 484 apprentices. In Munster Technological University, which is in Cork, there are 160. In...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: No, hang on. You cannot stand up in Dáil Éireann as a representative of the people of Cork and tell them there are only a certain number of people in a programme when there are not.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: Just stop. You are picking and choosing one phase in one programme.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: Today, I will send the Deputy the number of apprentices in Cork. I will send it to him. I will send it to the Ceann Comhairle and we can all tell the truth in this place.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: You do not need to send me my own figures. I have them.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. I will do that for Deputy Gould today. I will acknowledge the number of apprentices that are in Cork, or for anyone else who wants the figures relating to their constituency. There are more than ever before in this country. There are more than ever before. These are record numbers. There is an issue with waiting times, which is what this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I should also say that I will get back to Deputy Mairéad Farrell with specific information on the breakdown of the programmes. I am happy to provide that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: It is my priority in 2024 to continue to drive down the cost of education. I am pleased that the Government and the Fine Gael political party have managed to reduce fees for more than 96,000 students for two years in a row now. This is putting €1,000 back in the pockets of families right across the country. I want to see more progress in relation to that. I want to continue to see...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I agree with the Deputy on both issues and I will look at that widows and widowers issue. I want to look more comprehensively at an overhaul of SUSI to make sure the thresholds are right, that it is supporting people and families across the country and that it is agile enough to understand that people learn in different ways. That is why the part-time change is an important one. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I will do that. Deputy Griffin is entirely right; if you go into a café, hotel, pub or shop, people will tell you it can be hard to attract staff. There are many students who are working, who need to work and who want to work but they are worried that if they work too many hours, they might go over the threshold and lose their student grants. The good news is that progress has been...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his question and kind words. Planning for current and future public and private sector workforce and skills needs and ensuring an appropriate pipeline of suitable qualified graduates is a particular priority of mine. I say public and private because we need to meet the needs of the economy and to continue to work closely with businesses on upskilling and reskilling...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: On Deputy Durkan's question, we will liaise with industry in terms of our regional skills forums. This is the mechanism that has been looked at by other countries with a degree of interest. We have, in every region in Ireland, a regional skills forum. They bring together the colleges, ETBs, universities and employers in the region to look at what is needed in the south west or Dublin, for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is entirely correct. He is in this House for a very long time and knows very well the different challenges that come with different stages of the economic cycle. I remember when I first got elected to this House to serve alongside him when we were dealing with an economy with 15% unemployment. The issue employers certainly were not bringing up with us was the difficulty of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Dillon for his work with me and his interest on this project. We have been in Castlebar many times and we can report real progress that it is now a university town, Mayo is now a university county and we have the Atlantic Technological University. From my engagement with the president of the university and from the Deputy directly I know how much of a difference that is...