Results 42,781-42,800 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Feb 2024)

Simon Harris: It is my Department’s priority to ensure the apprenticeship system is right-sized to deliver future demand for skilled tradespeople. Successful delivery of priority Government strategies such as the National Development Plan, Housing for All and the Climate Action Plan will require significant growth in our apprenticeship training capacity. Being demand-led in nature, there are no...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Funding (27 Feb 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 650, 653, 656 and 657 together. The sciences and the broader research sector have a pivotal role to play in securing societal and economic benefits for all. My Department is providing leadership in this regard, in particular through the implementation of Ireland’s research and innovation strategy, Impact 2030 and through our engagement with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Data Centres (27 Feb 2024)

Simon Harris: My Department operates its IT infrastructure in cooperation with the Department of Education on a Shared Services basis. The Department of Education is the lead partner for the provision of IT services for both Departments and has advised that a number of robust processes and procedures are in place to enhance and protect the security of its data centres and these processes are reviewed on a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (28 Feb 2024)

Simon Harris: Awaiting reply from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (28 Feb 2024)

Simon Harris: I have a singular focus on securing sustained reductions in waiting times for apprenticeship training. There has been a significant reduction in apprentices waiting longer than 6 months for their off the job training. The backlog stood at 3,817 in January 2024. It was as high as 5,212 in August 2023. The progress achieved results from a cross-sectoral plan put in place by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (29 Feb 2024)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies; responsible for assessing student applications and determining the tuition fee payable by individual students. In this regard, as the Deputy will appreciate, it is not possible for my Department to offer guidance on the fee arrangements that may apply for individual students, such as those that may apply in the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: It has been mainly people outside the House.

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for tabling the amendments. A number of the issues he raised are ones I genuinely view as extremely important. I will very shortly publish the final report of the independent external review on researchers, supports, career structures and other issues. I intend to do that this month. The Deputy will remember that we published phase 1 just before the budget and we will...

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: To be very clear, and again we teased through this on Committee Stage, which the transcripts will show, it is absolutely the intention that there will be researcher input into the work of the new agency. That is beyond question. There are structures within the legislation, including what would effectively operate as a subcommittee of the board, which will be overwhelmingly dominated by...

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: I certainly would not answer for the Deputy. As the Leas-Cheann Comhairle suggested, I want to return very briefly to the point Deputy Sherlock made in the last grouping which also brings us very much into this grouping. I want be very clear that the advertisements in the booklet regarding appointments to the board of Research and Innovation Ireland gave the closing date as 3 p.m. on...

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: As professionals.

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: Absolutely. I am differentiating between the word “professionals” and “employees”, but I do not mean to interrupt.

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: As do I.

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: On this issue, I very much agree with Deputy Sherlock and how he put it. That is the balance we are trying to get right. What is appropriate to belong within the legal remit of a research agency? What is appropriate to belong with independent autonomous higher education institutions? To be very clear on the European question, which I want to come back to again, we should not allow the...

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: I appreciate that.

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: I have no doubt the Deputy believes what he is proposing is better than what is in the Bill. I will explain why I think what I am proposing is better. I hope he will accept my first point. This is the first time in the history of the State that we are placing arts and humanities research on a statutory footing. The Irish Research Council, which has done absolutely incredible work, does...

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies for their assistance. I should have thanked Bills Office staff for the huge amount of work they have done in preparing for tonight's session and for the turnaround times. I take the point Deputy Sherlock made about the ERC seriously. I am very happy to engage with eminent people such as Professor Luke O'Neill and others in the ERC, who serve Ireland well not just in...

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: I believe that the aim of what the Deputy wants to achieve is already captured by the legislation. The chief executive is already accountable. This agency will be under the remit of the Freedom of Information Act, parliamentary questions, and the Minister of the day being accountable to the House. That is already the case. I also believe that the current provisions adequately capture...

Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (6 Mar 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I commend the Bills Office and my officials in the Department who worked so hard on this legislation. I genuinely thank colleagues for the really constructive engagement we have had. I look forward to this legislation now going to the Seanad. This is a real opportunity to have one singular research funding agency in Ireland and to have that parity of...