Results 3,381-3,400 of 45,495 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (24 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I am actively prioritising the supply and affordability of student accommodation, in recognition of the challenges our students are facing. Through “Housing for All”, the Government has approved development of policy and funding to increase the supply of student accommodation. I have to date secured Government approval in principle of up to €61m in funding to unlock...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Without prejudicing processes or next steps in any way, it is interesting and encouraging that, on a regional basis, such strong ideas came forward. I mention not just strong ideas or hopes, because everyone is ambitious for their area, but when these bids were analysed by independent experts on an assessment panel that included, for example, the chief veterinary officer, they were deemed to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I welcome all support and allies in making the case for increased capital for the higher education sector given the difference the Deputy and I know it would make to the regions. I am not satisfied that so many young people are leaving the country to study veterinary medicine abroad. It is a disproportionately high number. We see in the number of people registering on the Veterinary...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge that Deputy Ó Murchú raises this issue with me on a regular basis and we have had good meetings and engagement on it, including with a group of personal assistants we met, who were largely, though not exclusively, from the Louth and Meath Education and Training Board. I am pleased that we received an extra €2 million in funding for students with disabilities in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: The National Maritime College of Ireland comprises part of Munster Technological University, which is an autonomous body. The application of funding to specific programmes or for particular purposes provided by the HEA is a matter for the technological university. The Deputy may wish to note that core funding allocated to the higher education sector increased in 2023 and, following last...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is entirely right. I really welcome the fact that Universities Ireland has now set up a group specifically to look at what I call CAO reform. It is chaired by the excellent Professor Pól Ó Dochartaigh from the Deputy's parish, Galway. It is due to report by the end of the year. It is a matter for the group, but I stand full ready to support it with funding or whatever...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Me too, and I really look forward to meeting the secondary schools group from Northern Ireland, which reached out to me today. I am very happy to meet the students in the coming weeks and will keep in touch with the Deputy in that regard. This just needs to be fixed. The two systems do not seem to understand each other, but that is not a reason not to find a workaround and a way to fix...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Ó Cathasaigh for this question, which is about an issue we have discussed on many occasions. First, the fact that relatively newly formed universities, including South East Technological University, had the ability and the capacity themselves to put in such strong bids, as the Deputy said, that were deemed to be viable by an independent assessments panel speaks to the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Budgets (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I am glad the Deputy raised that because that is what the review has done. People often ask me to create another college place in X area. For some courses that is relatively easy to do. However, in a course with a clinical or work placement element, there is no ability to create the place without the matching work place. We have worked jointly with the Department of Health. We have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Costs (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important question. I have been consistent in my position that we need to develop an education system that is more flexible and agile than the one we inherited. We need to recognise that learners come to education at different stages of their life and career and need access in a way that works for them. For many that will be part-time learning, some in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Costs (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his support for the scheme. This scheme will help people who can now access degree programmes outside the CAO process. I was recently in the Atlantic Technological University in the Deputy's part of the country. I met nursing students doing the new tertiary nursing degree. These students had been assessed for eligibility for the programme not based on their leaving...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Costs (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: The full eligibility for the scheme will be worked out and published early in the new year. The €56,000 limit is for a household. It is linked to the income ceiling to qualify for the SUSI contribution. We are trying to align part-time and full-time education. Clearly that number could move up in future budgets if that is the wish of Government and the Oireachtas. When the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I really want to work with the Deputy and other Members of the Oireachtas on student mobility on the island of Ireland. The Deputy probably saw the ESRI report. We can do so much more on this. Perhaps we can return to it another day. We can all do good work together on this. Following a Government decision in June, my Department is responsible for management of the implementation of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: To use the Deputy's phrase, I am not in any way buying into the thesis that "jacking up" rents needs to happen in any university. The Deputy will have to agree with me on this point because it is a fact. Universities have seen an increase in their budgets this coming year compared to last year and last year compared to the year before. There is no excuse and that should not be used as a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I also know which one the Deputy would choose.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: There is no list as such but we are doing a more in-depth dive into the data now. I think it can be for a variety of reasons, be they personal, health or cost. As a Government, we need to better understand the reasons but also recognise that sometimes people will choose to change and move to different courses. It is also important to bear this in mind when trying to improve a tertiary...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Budgets (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Budget 2024 introduced what is, by any fair and objective measure, a significant package of supports for third level students and their families. I will take each measure in turn. It is estimated that 94,000 students will benefit from the €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee. Almost 52,000 students will benefit from the student grant increases. A total of 1,790...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Budgets (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I could not agree more. That is exactly what we are trying to do. Yes, we need to increase the size of the tertiary education system and we are doing so year-on-year. However, we also need to increase it specifically in areas where we know there is one of two things - a need for more people to work in that area from a public services point of view or a demand for more students to study in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Research and Training (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: On that, we have to be honest. The graduate medical entry programme was introduced to try to diversify the medical profession. We also have to be truthful that in recent years we have seen points for undergraduate medicine places skyrocket to the point that accessing those courses became prohibitive for many. People could achieve the best points possible in the leaving certificate and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Medical Research and Training (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I hope he is happy with my answers. I agree with the Deputy's point that we do not want people who want to access the medical profession to reach barriers and blocks that mean we cannot diversify the profession. I know, as a former Minister for Health, how important diversification in medicine is. When we talk those most in need, as recently as last year we extended the 1916 bursary to...