Results 381-400 of 33,696 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: The information requested by Deputy Gould is set out in the attached table. Capital Available in 2021 Capital Available in 2022 Capital Available from January to October 2023 CORK ETB € 1.2m € 2.7m € 1.6m CITY OF DUBLIN ETB € 0.98m € 1.3m €...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: As of the end-October 2023, the total population of apprentices is 26,864. Of this, 22,467 are participating on craft-based apprenticeships while a further 4,397 are participating in consortia-based apprenticeships. Detailed information requested by Deputy Gould is set out in the attached table.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Awaiting reply from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department provides grant funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to be used to meet the general running expenses of the authority. The information requested by the Deputy is attached including the Oireachtas grant funding provided via the (then) Department of Education and Skills in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 prior to the establishment of my Department. Please note the 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The Student Grant Scheme provides maintenance grants to eligible undergraduate students pursuing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Official Travel (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: As part of the Team Ireland Trade Mission to South Korea, I led the Tertiary Education, Research, Innovation and Science mission. I visited Seoul National University on Friday 3 November along with a delegation of academics from a number of Irish higher education institutions including UCD, TCD, Maynooth University and TU Dublin. I toured the campus and met with an Irish student undertaking...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (7 Nov 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 those higher education students who are eligible for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI). Under the FFI, the State provides funding, exclusive of the student contribution, toward...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: There is scope for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to include actions targeting gender under-representation in institution-level gender equality action plans, which are required at institutional level to receive funding from the European Commission under Horizon Europe, or have been developed through HEI participation in the Athena Swan Ireland gender equality charter. HEI...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (26 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: There are a broad range of measures intended to support and facilitate apprentice progression to a successful conclusion. These are broad measures available to all, as well as some targeted interventions intended to provide additional support to groups who may experience particular barriers and challenges in accessing and completing their apprenticeship programmes. While attending...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (26 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: The capital allocations for my Department for the years 2022, 2023 and the expected allocation for 2024 are provided in the attached document. These are based on the revised National Development Plan (NDP) which was published on 4 October 2021. This confirms the capital ceilings for all Government Departments for the five year period 2021 - 2025. In addition to higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Consultations (25 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department has not facilitated any in-person or remote briefings from either Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) or BelongTo from 2021 to date. The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document, should the Deputy wish to contact the aegis...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (25 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: The proposal put forward by Kerry ETB (KETB) under the FET College of the Future Major Projects fund aims to transform FET provision in Killarney. As the deputy is aware, the Pretty Polly site has not been in use for some time and the ambition is to convert it into a state-of-the-art campus focusing on skills development in Hospitality Training, while supporting Renewable Energy and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 627, 631, 632 and 639 together. Since becoming Minister, I have introduced a number of changes to support PhD researchers. The first one was to address the discrepancy between the stipend paid to PhD researchers for the Irish Research Council (IRC) and those of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). Then, in Budget 2023, the stipend was increased by...

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

Simon Harris: In November 2022, I appointed Dr Andrea Johnson and Mr David Cagney to undertake an independent National Review of State Supports for PhD Researchers. This is the first time that State supports for PhD students have been considered holistically in this manner. The Co-Chairs’ first review report which was published in June 2023 notes that, of the approximately 10,000 PhD students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Ensuring a supply of qualified vets to meet the demands of Ireland's agrifood sector is an important issue for my Department. A number of institutions put forward proposals, following the recent HEA Expression of Interest process outlining options for the expansion of veterinary medicine provision. As the Deputy is aware, there is a substantial capital cost associated with the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (24 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: SOLAS are the body that has statutory responsibility for the national apprenticeship system. This includes responsibility for those awards issued under its predecessor bodies, FÁS and ANCO. My Department has no role in issuing or validating individual awards. However, the Apprenticeship Services section of SOLAS receive a lot of these types of queries and will be happy to assist in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (24 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Through the Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the State provides funding, exclusive of the student contribution, towards the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students who are pursuing approved full-time undergraduate courses of study in an approved higher education institution in the State. Courses outside the State are not included under the FFI and the student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: The revised national development plan, NDP, provides for Exchequer investment of nearly €2.9 billion in further and higher education infrastructure, research and innovation over the five-year period from 2021 to 2025. Research infrastructure is a critical element of an enabling R&I environment. Impact 2030 commits to the development of a framework for future research and innovation...

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

Simon Harris: Since the formation of my Department by this Government there has been a significant improvement in funding to the higher education sector. The Funding the Future funding and reform framework, approved by Government in May 2022, settled the question on funding higher education. The Framework identified an amount of €307 million as representing the quantum of increase in core...