Results 4,881-4,900 of 45,373 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: According to the HEA's Student Record System, in the 2021/22 academic year in total there were 7,200 students enrolled across all years of medicine programmes. Of these, 3,600 were non-EU students. The 2021/22 statistics are the most recent available. However, since this time, a significant agreement has been reached with the medical schools to increase the number of places for Irish and EU...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 256 together. As part of the cost of living response in Budget 2023, I prioritised the introduction of a significant package of measures to directly support students and their families. These measures included, for the 2022/23 academic year, a once off reduction in the student contribution. I have been clear that I want to see the student's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92, 93 and 254 together. My Department continues to prioritise strengthening our skills ecosystem to ensure it has the agility and flexibility to adapt to changing priorities in the skills and workforce development landscape, including increasingly rapid, technologically driven changes in the world of work. This focus is underpinned by the detailed and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: In November, I indicated to the House that my Department would prepare a proposal for the Government to consider joining CERN. Since then, Officials from my Department have been liaising with CERN regarding the total cost of membership, the application process and membership options. My officials have travelled to meet officials in CERN. I should explain that any formal application by...

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

Simon Harris: Apprenticeship is a demand-driven educational and training programme that aims to develop the skills of an apprentice in order to meet the needs of industry and the labour market. The development of new apprenticeships is employer-led. Employer groups and educational providers come together forming a consortia to identify a skills need and appropriate apprenticeship response in their sector....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I was delighted to announce late last year that Kerry ETB’s proposal for Killarney under the College of the Future Major Projects fund was successful at the first stage of the assessment process. This proposal will now move to the next stage of development, which will entail the development of a preliminary business case in line with public spending code requirements. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I am aware of the UCC Bursar/Chief Financial Officer's Report as included in the UCC Financial Statements for the year ended 30 September 2021 and note the matters raised in relation to sectoral funding. In May 2022, I launched Funding the Future, a landmark funding and reform framework for higher education. The Government has now made important decisions about a sustainable model of funding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: There is €633m available to my Department in 2023 in capital funding. This consists of the NDP capital allocation for 2023 of €578m and in addition the carryover of monies from 2022 of €55m The general areas that will benefit from this capital funding break down as follows: - Research and Innovation (€297m) - Higher Education Capital (€234m) - Further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department recognises the importance of ensuring that our graduates are equipped with skills that are relevant to the needs of learners, society and the economy. Human skills, also known as soft skills or transversal skills, such as leadership, creativity, team working, problem solving and emotional intelligence are in high demand among employers, alongside technical and professional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department is committed to the continued roll-out of supports and targeted initiatives to tackle educational disadvantage and support equity of access, participation and success in both further and higher education. Third level access programmes are specific to each Higher Education Institution (HEI). The HEA provide certain data surrounding the targets and KPIs identified in the National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The STEM building at Munster Technological University, Tralee is one of six new facilities which together comprise the “Higher Education PPP Bundle 1” project. The contract was awarded in December 2022 and construction activities including site excavation works, preparing foundations and utility connections began in early January 2023. Construction works are currently proceeding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I am firmly of the view that there should be access to public service pensions for research staff in all higher education institutions across the sector. As such, my Department has been engaging positively with management bodies, the Department for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the Department of Education on a business case to support access to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reviews (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I’d like to thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The quality of our researchers is fundamental to the quality of our research system and its collaboration with partners in industry and policymakers, both in Ireland and abroad. Under Pillar 4 of our national research and innovation strategy, Impact 2030, we have committed to ensuring that researchers have the right skills...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to 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 decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Construction Industry (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The Government is committed to increasing the workforce to meet demand and our Housing for All and Climate Action Plantargets. This Department published the Report on the Analysis of Skills for Residential Construction & Retrofitting 2023–2030and the corresponding action plan in December 2022. My Department is working with colleagues in SOLAS, the HEA and other Departments to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: It is a priority for my Department to ensure a supply of qualified Vets to meet the demands of the sector. As the Deputy may be aware, the Higher Education Authority is close to concluding a process to identify where additional capacity could be built in the higher education sector in a number of key disciplines including veterinary. Through the process, the HEA is examining...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 260 to 264, inclusive, together. My Department is focused on aligning planning within the higher education sector with the 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (30 Mar 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. 2021 figures showed 8,607 registrations...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that there are a number of Programme for Government (PfG) commitments aimed at addressing bullying, including a commitment to commission surveys of staff and students in the areas of harassment, sexual harassment, and bullying in higher education. Our higher education institutions have a duty of to ensure that staff and students have a safe environment to study and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (30 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: With regard to the Student Grant Scheme, the Deputy may be aware that I already instigated improvements to the student grant scheme in Budget 2022. For the academic year 2022/23, I increased the income threshold to qualify for the standard rate of student grant by €1,000 & all maintenance grant holders benefited from a grant increase of €200. I also announced a...