Results 541-560 of 33,696 for speaker:Simon Harris in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (3 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 719 and 720 together. 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 reflects the objective, under the dedicated Talent Pillar of Impact 2030, Ireland’s national research and innovation strategy, for a consistent research student experience...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (3 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I have recently approved the continuation of the Scheme referred to by the Deputy for the 2023/24 academic year. The Scheme has been finalised and is now open for applications. All information, including the application form, is available on the gov.ie website. The Scheme will continue to be administered by the awarding authority, Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) on behalf of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (3 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (3 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: I recently have written to the Irish Universities Association regarding the matters raised by the Deputy. As she will appreciate, decisions regarding acceptance are a matter for each institution. For this reason, I welcome the establishment of an expert working group, under the auspices of Universities Ireland (chaired by Professor Pól Ó Dochairtaigh, Deputy President and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (3 Oct 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. Approved undergraduate courses for the Student Grant Scheme are prescribed in the Student Support Regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (3 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: The Higher Education Authority publishes data annually on the proportion of students who do not progress from first year to second year of higher education. This data is published by Higher Education Institution (HEI) but is not available by location within a HEI. In 2019/20 there was a sudden decrease in non-progression, with only 9% of new entrants not progressing to second year in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (3 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: Awaiting reply from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (3 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: The Higher Education Authority Act (2022) requires that institutions seek to promote the Irish language. The Department distributes recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for disbursement directly to the HEA's designated higher education institutions. The HEA distributes this funding as a block grant to the institutions. As autonomous institutions, each Higher Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (3 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department and its officials do not presently use ChatGPT or any other form of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate official text and no such software is installed on my official's devices. My Department does not presently have a policy on the use of AI, however it will continue to monitor developments in relation to AI, in particular with regard to potential applications that may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (28 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: Technological Universities have been established to create a step-change in the delivery of higher-level skills, new knowledge creation, venture start-ups and collaborative innovation support for enterprise; and hence to meaningfully expand the higher education sector’s contribution to regional development. To support the post-establishment development of TUs, the Higher Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (28 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: An appropriate senior management team structure is a critical enabler to support Technological Universities deliver on their legislatively prescribed mandate. The Higher Education Authority and my Department commissioned the OECD to conduct a review of academic career paths, contracts, and organisation design in TUs. I brought this report to Cabinet in December 2022, and it was subsequently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (28 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: In November 2022, I received Government approval of €1 million to support our Technological Universities (TUs) in the development of a feasibility study to ascertain student accommodation needs on a local, regional and national level. This study will include data analysis and engagement with local authorities and other key stakeholders to determine the level and potential sources of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (28 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: The Government and my Department is committed to reducing the cost of college for students and their families and a number of measures were introduced in Budget 2023 benefiting thousands of students. In advance of Budget 2024 this autumn, and as I did last year, I published an options paper on 21st August 2023 which sets out for the Government's consideration, various options to the cost...

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

Simon Harris: One of the five overarching objectives of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025is "Apprenticeship for All". That is, ensuring that the profile of the apprenticeship population more closely reflects the profile of the general population. As of end-August 2023, there were 1,982 female apprentices, representing 8% of the overall apprentice population. This compares to 1,321 in April 2021,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (26 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: I have been clear that I want to see the student's contribution towards tuition fees in higher education reduce in a meaningful way over the course of the annual budget process. In this regard I was pleased to secure Government agreement to the introduction of a permanent new rate of student contribution support through SUSI from September 2023. For students whose families have incomes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Internships (26 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department and the Department of Health are aware of the challenges being encountered for Northern Ireland Medical School graduates meeting deadlines for Internship in Republic of Ireland. I am informed that there has been ongoing engagement with the HSE, Medical Council and Northern Ireland universities to address these issues. I understand from the Department of Health that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (26 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: Awaiting reply from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (26 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will appreciate, third level institutions are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. As such, individual institutions are responsible for student and staffing matters and are subject to compliance with relevant legislation. My Department does not collect nor have access to information regarding the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (26 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: In considering the matters raised it is important to note that the total level of fees charged to Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) students is a matter for the higher education institutions (HEIs), consistent with the principle of their institutional autonomy.The State contribution under reference is a funding subsidy provided, via the HEA, to HEIs towards the cost of provision for EU student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (26 Sep 2023)

Simon Harris: The DARE scheme is operated by the Irish Universities Association, on behalf of the higher education institutions which set out the policy criteria for the scheme. Each institution determines its own admissions policy, the number of places to be reserved, the allocation of those places, and the review and appeals processes. Applications to the scheme are submitted to the Central...