Results 301-320 of 33,693 for speaker:Simon Harris in 'Written Answers'

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

Simon Harris: The issue of academic career precarity is and will remain an important element of the work of my Department. As part of this work, my officials engage with all stakeholders, including trade unions and Higher Education Institutions, on the issues that are raised in IFUT’s recent report on precarious employment. The report is a useful contribution to ongoing consideration of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (29 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Under the Prompt Payment Act 1997 and SI 580 2012 European Communities (Late Payment in Commercial Transactions) Regulations 2012, prompt payment interest (PPI) is applied to valid invoices which are not processed for payment within 30 days of receipt. The applicable reference rate (rate applied by the ECB) plus the statutory interest for late payments is 8%. A compensating amount based on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Directives (29 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science holds the national coordination role for two EU Directives. These Directives were transposed into Irish law in 2017 and 2022 respectively and as follows: Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications (as amended by Directive 2013/55/EU) was transposed by S.I. No. 8/2017 - European Union...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: The work of integration sits across a number of sections in my Department. There is no personnel focused specifically on this area. An Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) unit sits within my Department and also works closely with the Centre of Excellence for EDI in the Higher Education Authority and the wider tertiary sector to ensure that we can make a real impact on all forms of equality.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Information (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department reports annually to both the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Office of the Information Commissioner on Freedom of Information activity. The Office of the Information Commissioner publish this data in its annual report and the annual reports up to 2022 are available on the OIC’s website - www.oic.ie/publications/annual-reports/ In 2022 my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Currently, there are 73 national apprenticeship programmes available in Ireland. Of these, 58 have no qualifying criteria associated in regards to colour blindness. More generally, to support apprentices, information is sought at the point of registration on any additional supports that may be needed due to a disability. Education and training providers offer learning and other supports to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: No funding for this project was provided by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: My officials and I are working closely with SETU to realise our collective ambition for the delivery of Higher Education across our South East region. Capital projects across the Higher Education sector are identified through competitive processes, with successful projects progressing through the various stages of architectural planning, tender and construction in line with the provisions of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cross-Border Co-operation (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Awaiting reply from the Department

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cross-Border Co-operation (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department has provided funding through the Higher Education Authority (HEA), the Irish Research Council (IRC) and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) to fund North/South projects, details of which are highlighted as follows. The North South Research Programme (NSRP) is a collaborative scheme arising from the Government’s Shared Island initiative at the Department of the Taoiseach,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: In the three years since the launch of this Department, the sum of €89,130.45 has been spent on advertising on RTE. This has been spread across seven media campaigns, such as the launch of the Right Course website, changes to student supports, encouraging homeowners to rent a room to a student, and the EU Year of Skills campaign.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Communications (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department is not aware of any meetings or briefings, in person or remote, from 2020 to date with the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) or the Hope and Courage Collective. If the Deputy wishes to contact the ageis Bodies under the remit of my Department, the contact information is as follows. Contact e-mail Addresses for State Bodies under the remit of the Department of Further and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: The issue of academic career precarity is and will remain an important element of the work of my Department. As part of this work, my officials engage with all stakeholders, including trade unions and Higher Education Institutions, on the issues that are raised in the charter and in IFUT’s recent report on precarious employment. It is however noted that the Charter itself would seem...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Within the Higher Education Sector, staff representative bodies and the employers have signed up to the terms of the Building Momentum agreement. Under the agreement, a Higher Education Sector Oversight Group (HESOG) was established to consider relevant matters that could not be resolved via local engagement. The membership of HESOG includes DFHERIS, the Irish University Association, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: The issue of academic career precarity is and will remain an important element of the work of my department. However, the potential submission of a Sectoral Employment Order (SEO) in respect of research staff is not a matter for my Department. SEOs were provided for as part of a revised legislative framework under the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015. Under the Act, a trade...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Nursing Education (28 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006, and the Technological Universities Act 2018. As such they are autonomous in relation to their administrative and academic affairs. This includes the processes in place in relation to appeals of grades and other issues which may arise for a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (23 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Currently, Phase 2 Pipefitting training is delivered in Cork Education and Training Board (ETB) and Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) by four instructors. As the Coordinating Providers for the apprenticeship, the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) and SOLAS are actively engaging with the Collaborating Providers and employers of pipefitting apprentices to support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gambling Sector (22 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Gambling behaviours of young people are of concern, particularly regarding the negative impacts that are associated with gambling addiction. It is important to note that supports are available to students who are struggling with gambling and gambling addiction, for example spunout.ie. My Department is not aware of any sports events in Higher Education Institutions being sponsored by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (22 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: The cost of any scholarship scheme would depend on the parameters of such a scheme primarily the level of funding and the number of students supported. The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is working closely with the Department of Health and Department of Children, Equality, Diversity, Integration and Youth to increase the number of places...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (22 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: The potential cost of procurement of sensory maps is not held by my Department and is likely to vary depending on institutions. I fully support Universal Design Principals. It is an ambition of our National Access Plan that our Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are inclusive, universally designed environment which support and foster student success and outcomes, equity and diversity,...