Results 281-300 of 33,693 for speaker:Simon Harris in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2024 (7 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: Budget 2024 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost of living. These cost of living measures include the provision of one off funding that has allowed for a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students that are eligible for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI) in 2023/24. As the Deputy will be aware, the student contribution...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (7 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: It is my intention to publish Ireland’s new international Talent and Innovation strategy, ‘Global Citizens 2030’ in January 2024. Global Citizens 2030 will be my Department's first International strategy which encompasses the breadth of tertiary education. It builds upon Ireland’s many achievements over the past decade and seeks to confirm Ireland as a first...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Currency Circulation (7 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs, including the management of commercial arrangements and provision of services for students on campus. As such, they retain the right to determine their own policies and procedures. It should be noted that the regulation of commercial affairs and legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (6 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: Significant engagement is ongoing between my Department, the Department of Health, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Department of Education to develop a joined-up approach to address system level demand in therapeutic disciplines and healthcare programmes. This year 460 additional places were created in health care related programmes including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Language Schools (6 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 206 together. The Government is taking further steps to strengthen the regulation of the English language education sector in Ireland. The Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act 2019 contains provisions to provide for the establishment of a new national Learner Protection Fund and the International Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (6 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: The student referred to by the Deputy applied as an independent student to SUSI for the 2023/24 academic year and evidence of her independent residence for 2021 and 2022 was requested in a letter dated 7 July 2023. No supporting documents were received within the timeframe stipulated on the letter requesting same and as per letter to the applicant dated 18 October 2023, her application was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (6 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: Budget 2024 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost of living. These cost of living measures include the provision of one off funding to reduce the student contribution fee payable by higher education students that are eligible for the free fees initiative (FFI), in academic year 2023/24, by €1,000. Net of students that avail of a 100% student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (6 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy's office has clarified that the question is To ask the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to detail in tabular form the number of students from each HEI that benefitted from the Student Assistance Fund for the 2022/2023 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. The number of students by HEI who benefitted from SAF for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (6 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: Both Science Foundation Ireland and the Irish Research Council fund a number of research projects involving induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), which is common practice in life science research.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (6 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: The overall apprentice population, i.e. those persons that have taken up apprenticeship programmes but have not yet qualified, to end of November 2023 is 27,332. This can be broken down into 22,990 in Craft and 4,342 in Consortia-led programmes. In regard to the construction sector, there have been 5,409 apprenticeship registrations this year to the end of November. These are broken down on a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (5 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that Budget 2024 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost of living. These cost of living measures include a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students that are eligible for the free fees initiative (FFI), a scheme which operates within the State. The student contribution only applies in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (5 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: There are currently 73 apprenticeship programmes in Ireland: 25 craft 48 consortia-led.I am aware that many craft apprentices are experiencing delays accessing their first period of off-the-job training (Phase 2). These waiting times reflect the strong growth in registrations for craft apprenticeship in a demand-led system, where employers in a buoyant construction sector in particular are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (5 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department does not have any remit for TUSLA. However, officials from my Department have contacted the administrators of the HEAR scheme for clarification on the criteria and I am advised that the only way to qualify as a person in care, is if you have a letter from TUSLA. I would, however, suggest that the student in question should contact the Access office of the college they...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (30 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Apprenticeships are demand-led in nature. As such, there are no restrictions on the number of apprentices that can be registered. Craft programmes in particular have seen strong registrations over the past several years, as employers recognise the valuable opportunities that apprenticeship presents. This has created a situation where, despite record levels of investment, system capacity has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Consultations (30 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department has not prepared any Governmental White Papers during the period in question. However, my Department has published a number of strategies and policy statements in recent years, which set out my Department’s goals and objectives. A selection of these publications includes:Annual Report 2022 -www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/8cb17-annual-report-...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Consultations (30 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Since my Department's formation in 2020, there have been 10 consultancy reports prepared to inform internal departmental decision-making, organisation design and policy development which have not been published. The total cost of these reports since 2020 is €291,673.75. Further detail can found in the following table: Unit Requested Year Title of Report ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising (30 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Over the past three years, the sum of €3,874.11 has been spent on twitter for campaigns such as COVID advice for students, SUSI supports and the launch of the Right Course website. Year Amount Subject 2021 €2,091.11 The Right Course website 2021 €1,150.50 COVID awareness for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising (30 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Over the past three years, the total spend on facebook and instagram has been €49,113.11. This covered campaigns on COVID advice for students, student supports, rent a room, and the year of skills. Year Amount Subject 2021 €6,855.75 COVID advice for students 2022 €977.73 SUSI...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising (30 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Please see the table below: Year Amount Subject 2021 €1,136.86 launch of The Right Course website 2022 nil 2023 nil

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (29 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department has been working in cooperation with the Department of Health, the HSE, third level institutions and health profession regulators, to increase places in third level programmes where there is an acute requirement indicated by the Department of Health workforce planning division. The introduction of new programmes in health disciplines would require significant input from all...