Results 4,981-5,000 of 46,260 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I would like to specify to the Deputy that the figures provided below should be considered indicative only. There are approximately 10,000 PhD enrolments at present in Ireland. Approximately 6,000 of these are in receipt of a stipend – either from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) or the Irish Research Council (IRC), other public funders such as Teagasc or the Health Research Board...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 934, 935, 936, 937 and 938 together. I thank the Deputy for raising matters in relation to the cost of supporting students with tuition fees and other higher education costs. I am acutely conscious of the challenges facing students and the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address cost as a barrier to education. I also recognise that costs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: In advance of Budget 2024 this autumn, and as I did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. I will have regard to these options, including any options on increasing maintenance grants, when...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, the cost of living response in Budget 2023 included, for the 2022/23 academic year, a once off reduction of €1,000 in the student contribution payable by free fees eligible undergraduate students. Separately I was pleased to secure Government agreement to the introduction of a permanent new rate of student contribution support through SUSI from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: In advance of Budget 2024 this autumn, and as I did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. I will have regard to these options, including any options on increasing maintenance grants, when...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: In advance of Budget 2024 this autumn, and as I did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. I will have regard to these options, including any options on increasing maintenance grants, when...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is one of the pathways to study undergraduate medicine. 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. As the Deputy will be aware, the Free Fees Initiative (FFI) provides tuition fee funding for eligible first time...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: On May 4th 2022, the Government published Funding the Future, as part of the policy response to the independent report “Increasing the Sustainability of Higher and Further Education in Ireland”, a comprehensive economic evaluation of the various funding options presented in the Cassells Expert Group Report (2016). Funding the Futureidentifies that a mixed model be adopted as the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: In advance of Budget 2024 this autumn, and as I did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. I will have regard to these options, including any options on increasing maintenance grants, when...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Wildlife Conservation (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department has committed to implementing green public procurement (GPP) policies to all appropriate tenders including landscaping tenders. While artificial habitat structures are a versatile conservation tool that when well designed and implemented, have the potential to facilitate wildlife, I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has not installed to date any artificial structures...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 947, 948 and 950 together. In advance of Budget 2024 this autumn, and as I did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. I will have regard to these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 949 and 951 together. In advance of Budget 2024 this autumn, and as I did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. I will have regard to these options,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to external assurance process reviews is attached in tabular form. ">External Assurance Processes

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The data requested by the Deputy is not held by my Department nor the agencies under its remit. Placements are organised at the level of each individual Higher Education Institution (HEI), as part of their programme offerings to be delivered in conjunction with relevant placement providers. Where appropriate, each HEI will develop their programme offerings to meet the accreditation standards...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 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. In relation to support available for students studying abroad, the Student Grant Scheme provides...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 May 2023)

Simon Harris: €1,734,555 was disbursed to Maynooth University (MU) in July 2022 under the Devolved Grant 2022/2023. This funding issued to the higher education sector allows eligible HEIs, including MU, the flexibility to advance minor capital works (including health and safety works, access works, refurbishment and energy upgrades) and equipment purchase or renewal, including ICT. It is the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (18 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including all human resource matters and recruitment. As Minister, I have no direct role in such matters. As the Deputy will also be aware An Garda Síochána launched a new recruitment...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (18 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, the Department of Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth is responsible for providing accommodation and related supports to people in the protection process, and is endeavouring to accommodate those applicants not yet provided with accommodation as soon as possible. The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) of that Department records...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reviews (18 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, the Coroner Service provides an important service to next of kin and society in general in seeking to explain the causes of death in those instances which are reportable by law. My Department is committed to bringing forward nationwide coroner review proposals to address identified issues and drive innovative change. I can assure the Deputy that work is well...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (18 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy may be aware, a progress report from the Working Group to Examine the Disregard of Convictions for Certain Qualifying Offences Related to Consensual Sexual Activity between Men was published on Thursday, 5 May 2022 by Minister Helen McEntee. The Victorian-era laws which were repealed by the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 caused immeasurable harm to generations of gay...