Results 421-440 of 33,693 for speaker:Simon Harris in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: In November last year, I indicated in Dáil Éireann that my Department will prepare a proposal for Government to consider joining CERN. Since then, Officials from my Department have been working with CERN to prepare an application for Ireland's associate membership of CERN. I have significant progress to announce as last week funding for CERN associate membership was included in my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department and I are actively working to address the supply of affordable student accommodation through the development of a number of Government supported policy responses as outlined under Housing for All. As the Deputy is aware, SETU Waterford campus is the only on-campus provision of purpose built student accommodation in the Technological University (TU) sector, providing 426...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I am assuming that the Deputy is referring to Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM). Graduate entry courses require applicants to hold a level 8 qualification prior to entry and completion of a graduate entry medicine degree confers a further level 8 qualification. The Student Grant Scheme provides funding support for eligible first time undergraduate students. Students pursuing a second level 8...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Ireland’s goals in relation to digital skills were designed in line with the European Digital Decade, and are set out in our Harnessing Digital Strategy. I am pleased to say we are not only meeting but exceeding our targets. In the first instance we are excelling in the provision of highly skilled ICT graduates to support a digitised economy and maintain Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Lifelong Learning could not be more important as we leverage continued alterations in how we live and work in the face of megatrends such as digitisation and the green transition for a sustainable economy. This focus is underpinned by the OECD Report on Ireland's Skills Strategy published on 9 May this year. That report highlighted the need for increased focus on short, flexible and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department is focused on aligning planning within the higher education sector with the workforce requirements and skills needs of the country. Our approach to addressing these challenges is firmly rooted in collaborative partnership with enterprise and other stakeholders and is central to our economic and social ambitions. Planning for current and future public sector workforce and skills...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department have a number of measures in place to make education more accessible for parents returning or continuing education. One of the priorities for Budget 2024 and for the Taoiseach is reducing child poverty. From September 2024 a part-time fee grant scheme will provide support for eligible students who are undertaking specified undergraduate part-time programmes leading to a major...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies, as set out in legislation, and as such the management of their academic affairs, including the awards offered, are a matter for each individual institution. Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), in its role as the state agency responsible for promoting quality and accountability in education and training in Ireland, is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 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 of up to €61m in funding to unlock the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: One of the five overarching objectives of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 is "Apprenticeship for All". That is, ensuring that the profile of the apprenticeship population more closely reflects the profile of the general population. The Plan promotes general access, diversity, and inclusion in apprenticeship by offering targeted supports to encourage participation from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Ensuring a supply of qualified vets is an important issue for me and my Department. Officials in my Department have been engaging closely with colleagues in Minister McConalogue's Department in relation to these graduate supply requirements. A number of institutions put forward proposals, following the recent HEA Expression of Interest process, outlining options for the expansion of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Being demand-led in nature, there are no restrictions on the number of apprentices that can be registered. The current buoyant labour market, coupled with the recognition of apprenticeship as a valuable employment and skills development opportunity, is a welcome endorsement of this Government’s support of, and ambitions for, Apprenticeships in the tertiary sector The ‘Action...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: The ‘Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025’ sets out new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships to make apprenticeship more accessible to employers and learners. Expansion to date has widened the impact of apprenticeship to areas of skills shortage such as engineering, technology skills, logistics, and fintech. The ambition of the Plan is to reach 10,000...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department is currently finalising work in relation to its new Statement of Strategy, which I expect to be published shortly. During March and April of this year, my Department engaged in a public and stakeholder consultation exercise, where submissions and representations on the development of a new Statement of Strategy were invited. The Department received 84 such submissions through...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 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 provision of funding to increase the supply of purpose-built student accommodation. I have to date secured Government approval of up to €61m in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Currently, Phase 2 Pipe fitting training is delivered in Cork ETB and LMETB by two instructors. Phase 4 is currently delivered in LMETB and there is currently one workshop with one instructor delivering the training. As the Co-ordinating Provider for the apprenticeship, the NAO and SOLAS are actively engaging with the Collaborating Providers and employers of pipe fitting apprentices to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: In Budget 2024, I am once again providing a significant package of measures to support students and made it a priority to reduce the cost of third level education. I acknowledge that cost is a barrier to education and I am continuing to break down that barrier and make further and higher education more accessible for more people. For the second year in a row, I have reduced the student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Since last November I have secured Government approval of up to €61m in funding to unlock the development of approximately 1,000 new and additional student accommodation beds across four universities. These projects are being progressed as immediate response measures to unlock supply of affordable accommodation in partnership with our University sector. This measure is being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: The National Development Plan (NDP) published in 2021 provided clarity on Departmental capital ceilings for the period 2022 – 2025. A dedicated capital envelope was established for the Further Education and Training (FET) sector, amounting to €300m over the decade 2018-2027. Available funding has increased from €5.5 million in 2018 to €17.5 million in 2020 and a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: The issue of academic career precarity is and will remain an important element of the work of my Department. As announced in the recent Budget, an additional €193 million in funding is being provided over 2023 and 2024 to the Higher Education sector. This includes some €60m under the Funding the Future policy framework to build capacity and to ensure the sector is funded...