Results 5,501-5,520 of 45,373 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Veterinary Services (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I do not disagree with what the Deputy said. I referenced the EU directive in the context of mutual recognition of qualifications. I am happy to check for the Deputy, but I understand that an accredited place through the Veterinary Council of Ireland is recognised in the North, the UK and the EU, as well as in some other jurisdictions. I can seek clarity on the latter for the Deputy. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Accommodation (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter repeatedly and for keeping in touch with me in respect of it. I am working actively to address the difficulties faced by students in accessing affordable student accommodation. In recognition of the real challenge, including rising construction costs and the impact of same on the affordability of accommodation, I received Government approval on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Accommodation (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I agree fully with both Deputies. I assure Deputy Dillon that the structured approach makes sense. If there are synergies and we know there is a model that can work for the technological university and get things moving, let us not waste time coming up with a load of different models. You notice when you drive around the country, many new schools are beginning to look the same. That is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Accommodation (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I assure the Deputy that I will inquire into the position regarding the old military barracks site in Castlebar to see what the position is and establish if progress can be made. I will familiarise myself further with the matter. He mentioned it to me previously. I will get the view of ATU and the Department. I will be happy to revert to the Deputy on the matter. The Government will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Staff (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: To be crystal clear, one of the first acts of the chairs will be to meet with those groups. I will have to check if I have met that group but I have met postgraduate representatives from the Union of Students in Ireland, USI, and a group of postgraduate researchers from Trinity College Dublin who made a strong and compelling case about the need. I am meeting the co-chairs next week. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Veterinary Services (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Carthy for his question and note his interest in it as an agricultural spokesperson. I want to get this right. I recognise there are two issues my Department must oversee. One is to make sure there are enough places to meet demand in the country. We have identified veterinary, dentistry, nursing and medicine as areas in which we wish to expand the number of places. We must...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Veterinary Services (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I am delighted to see such an interest in veterinary medicine because, a year ago, Deputy Conway-Walsh and I were being told there were an adequate number of places, and that never felt right to any of us. That is not the position now. We are doing this scoping exercise. There will, I believe, be at least one new veterinary school at the end of this. I do not want to pre-empt the process....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Grant Payments (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: Not to upset the Deputy, but I think I agree with him on this. His suggestion makes logical sense. There is always a balance to be struck between the importance of encouraging full-time students to focus on their studies, the integrity of their education, etc., on the one hand, and the real world, on the other. In the real world, many people work in part-time jobs, perhaps doing a shift in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Grant Payments (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy said, he was successful last year in highlighting the issue of holiday earnings. We heard him and other colleagues and acted on that because it was a sensible step to take. I do not want students to be looking at their payslips and worrying that, if they work, within reason, an additional shift at the weekend in a local bar, hotel or supermarket, it will push them out of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Grant Payments (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I know my limitations, so I will not give any views or advice on dancing, an matter I will leave to the Deputy. He clearly managed to juggle quite a lot in getting through education, dancing and a job. The serious point in all this is there is a cost-of-living challenge for many people, and I accept there is a cost to going to college and to education. I also fully accept there are many...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Staff (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I acknowledge he was one of the people most strongly agitating and advocating for a review into PhD conditions and I am pleased that is under way. The purpose of the review of PhD supports is to contribute to the development of a set of national guidelines for supports for PhD researchers that fosters a consistent standard of experience. That lack...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: In the interests of accuracy, the rent tax credit scheme is run by the Department of Finance so I am offering information to be helpful as I know it to the House as opposed to being accountable to the House for the administration of the rent tax credit scheme, which is done by the Revenue Commissioners. I agree with the Deputy about affordability but I also think there is a real focus on...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge that this is an issue that Deputy Pringle raised with me on a regular basis and that the Killybegs campus is important to him and his community. I expect to be in a position to establish very shortly a regional campus support fund. There are a number of campuses that the Deputy and I believe are integral to regional and local access to third-level institutions. I would...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I want to get to a place where the people of Killybegs and the Killybegs campus can be certain not just about their future but about the fact that they are not a peripheral part of a university but instead have a core role. The comments I have received from ATU regarding its view are very encouraging. I am also told that ATU is working with the Donegal local enterprise office and the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I agree with all of that. I hope the Deputy can take some encouragement not just from what I say but, more importantly, from what ATU is telling me. It is highlighting tourism education and training as a key role for Killybegs. It acknowledges that the campus there has a long tradition of excellence in the area and talks about anticipating development in food science in Killybegs given its...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I take the point the Deputy has made. In an ideal world this is an area I would like to move on. I am constrained by the decision that we made to hinge this on the free fees initiative. I must be honest; a number of students fell outside the qualifying criteria, namely, students attending private colleges or colleges that do not qualify for free fees or who repeated a year in the same...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I am uncomfortable with how repeat students in general are treated by the system because there can be a whole variety of reasons somebody starts one course and wishes to move to another. That is life. Things can happen in somebody's family life and in terms of health. There are reasons people have to move. I have an openness on that.. I spoke about a once-off reduction of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I am happy to come back on that issue and engage with the Deputy. There needs to be absolute clarity on that. I want to deal with the student accommodation question first. I am actively aware of and working to address the difficulties faced by students. While I understand the Deputy's question refers to a lack of agreement on Government support, I have to make the point that this is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: The rent-a-room scheme is included in the rent credit.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (14 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: On-campus college accommodation is included and everybody else needs to be registered with the RTB. That has always been my understanding. I am happy to clarify that and work through that with the Deputy. That was certainly my understanding but I am very happy to seek clarity that my understanding is correct but that has always been my understanding concerning the rent-a-room scheme. ...