Results 42,361-42,380 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

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

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Dillon. I am pleased the Atlantic Technological University and the Castlebar site are now able to provide apprenticeships, but like I was saying earlier, we expand apprenticeship provision. It is important we also try to do it in the regions, because we want people to have an opportunity to be able to access this in their home towns or counties and we want employers in those...

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

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. He is entirely right. For the technological universities to reach their full potential and indeed for the full benefit to be seen for the regions of Ireland we need to see the provision of student accommodation. That never happened when they were institutes of technology. I think Waterford Institute of Technology may have, of its own volition, provided some student...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy Ó for his question but, more importantly, for genuinely engaging constructively with me on this over a sustained period. I have found his engagement to be insightful and very useful to my Department. As he will be well aware, a number of education and training boards, ETBs, have employed personal assistants to provide supports to learners under the fund for students...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: There is a big piece of policy work that I have asked my Department to do on how we support people with disabilities throughout the tertiary education system. This is not a political point because it happened long before I was here but over a number of generations we have made good progress on inclusion at primary and second level. We have more to do but there has been good progress....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I agree. The next step is for us to meet with the personal assistants to see what progress can be made on the basis of the additional allocation I received in November, as well as to see how the FÓRSA claim is considered and progressed. My Department is monitoring that closely. I also want to inform the House of my intention to do that broader piece of policy work on ensuring...

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

Simon Harris: The Deputy could not have known when he submitted his question that I would make an announcement this morning but I am pleased to say that I have just given approval for a major expansion of apprenticeship provision in the Dundalk Institute of Technology, DkIT. A total of 390 additional apprenticeship programme places will be provided there under a programme that will see the refurbishment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for her question. The Deputy will be aware that Cavan Monaghan ETB have been working with and supported by SOLAS in developing their preliminary business case proposal for Cavan Town under the College of the Future Major Projects fund for the last number of months. The development of a robust Preliminary Business Case (PBC) is fundamental to the requirements of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: As Minister I have ensured an unrelenting focus on growing participation in apprenticeships. Underpinned by the measures in the Action Plan for Apprenticeship, the impact is very clear and positive, with significant growth of apprenticeship over the past number of years. Since 2021, over 27,000 people have registered as apprentices. Craft apprenticeship registrations for 2021- 2023 were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for her question. At this stage of the project lifecycle it is not possible to give a timeframe for the development of a College of the Future for Cavan Institute. Completed preliminary business cases including that of Cavan Monaghan ETB were submitted to SOLAS by the deadline of last Friday, the 12th of January. The next stage of the process is for these business cases to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I’m very pleased to advise the Deputy, that substantial completion of the project at Coonagh will be substantially completed in February 2024, with students due on campus later this year. This represents over €24m in capital funding from my Department. The Technological University of the Shannon Coonagh, Limerick project was approved for the fit-out of an existing building...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his question. It is not possible to provide figures on participation in apprenticeship training on a county-by-county basis. However, the following apprenticeship programmes are available through Louth & Meath Education and Training Board: Hairdressing, Network Engineer, ICT Software Development, Plumbing, Carpentry and Joinery, Pipefitting, Electrical,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: At present there are 13 courses across the HE system which include digital forensics as a key focus, with an average of c. 300 graduates in the discipline per annum. While I have not received any proposals in relation to increasing provision in Digital Forensics specifically, my Department is committed to engaging with all Departments and industry representative bodies to support them in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Community Training Centres (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: Community Training Centres (CTCs) are non-profit making companies with governing boards that are broadly representative of the community. Since 1977, CTCs have been involved in innovative training for marginalised groups and since the introduction of the Youthreach programme in 1989, their focus has been on Early School Leavers. There are currently two CTCs operating in the area mentioned...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I?have not been made aware of any plans to develop a new campus on the north side of Cork city. However, my Department works collaboratively with all Higher Education Institutions and Education and Training Boards on the?development?of capital projects in line with their?established masterplans. Off-the-job training for apprenticeship is delivered in a number of different ways according...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: My Department and the Higher Education Authority are currently engaging with SETU to advance a number of capital projects across the SETU campuses. A new Engineering, Computing and General Teaching building planned for SETU Waterford and a Science and Health Building at SETU Carlow are being progressed within the parameters of bundle II of the Higher Education PPP Programme. SETU has also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: The Government is aware of the workforce issues currently facing general practice, including the limited access to GP services in certain areas, and is working to ensure that general practice is sustainable in all areas into the future. GPs are self-employed practitioners and therefore may establish practices at a place of their own choosing. There is no prescribed ratio of GPs to patients...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: The strategic alignment of policy between my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), is imperative in realising the commitments we have set out in Housing for All and in addressing supply of accommodation specifically to meet the needs of our higher education students and mitigate pressures on rental accommodation. Engagement has been ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I want to thank the Deputy for raising this. The main responsibility of my Department in this respect, I believe, is in ensuring the participation of older age cohorts in education. This can be to help their engagement in employment, but can also be to ensure their full participation in society. People in Ireland are living longer and healthier lives and it is important they can continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: I am deeply concerned by the situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. This remains a central priority for the Government, including at EU level, where Ireland is consistently calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. The Framework Programme for Research & Innovation - Horizon Europe - is the European Union’s largest research and innovation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: The National Access Plan has called for more flexible forms of learning for target groups and those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. One of the priorities for Budget 2024 is reducing child poverty. We know that Education has the power to transform lives, lift people out of poverty and break down cycles of intergenerational poverty. I have been consistent in my position that we...