Results 5,941-5,960 of 46,260 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: It is a priority of my Department to expand the pathways to tertiary education and expand provision of courses, particularly in areas of acute skills demand. There are a range of options in the system, and pathways to careers that students can consider. For anyone who doesn’t gain access to their course of choice immediately, there is often an alternative education path available...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: 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 an increase of €200. I also announced a range of further measures to enhance the scheme as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I am actively addressing the difficulties faced by students in accessing affordable student accommodation. Fundamentally the challenge of affordable student accommodation is one of supply of housing more generally. The outbreak of war in Ukraine has compounded the impact of Brexit and Covid 19, coupled with the cost of construction and fossil fuels, has posed significant difficulties for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy may be aware, the Expressions of Interest is an independent process managed by the Higher Education Authority. I am satisfied that as with all HEA processes, this process is being conducted to the highest standards and will be externally validated. This includes the expert advisory panel. I understand from the HEA that the panel is comprised of representatives from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I am aware of and actively addressing the difficulties faced by students in accessing affordable student accommodation. Fundamentally the challenge of affordable student accommodation is one of supply of housing more generally, and the impact of the global economy on the cost of construction. To assist with the shortage of accommodation for our students, on 29 November 2022, I secured...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Sustainable Development Goals (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a significant and ambitious framework. A whole-of-Government approach to its implementation has been taken in Ireland. Ireland’s Second National Implementation Plan for the Sustainable Development Goals, 2022 – 2024 was published in October 2022. The Plan was developed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pharmacy Services (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy may be aware, the Higher Education Authority has completed the first stage of an expression of interest process for Higher Education Institutionsinterested in building capacity in Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry and Veterinary. The second stage of this process is currently underway, involving the review of applications from the EOI process by an Expert Advisory Panel....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1021 and 1022 together. Ireland’s policy of investing in our research and innovation (R&I) capability over the past twenty years has had a significant impact on our industrial development, contributing to job creation and economic prosperity. As a result of a sustained commitment to research, development and innovation, Ireland has successfully...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pension Provisions (21 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: Third Level Staff (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, NCAD is a recognised college of University College Dublin, and, as such, has autonomy in relation to its human resource policies. At the same time, employers in the higher education sector are of course required to operate in accordance with the provisions of employment legislation, public sector pay policy and national industrial relations agreements. I would...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that the HEAR scheme is a reduced points mechanisms for entry into higher education. The HEAR scheme is managed and operated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) on behalf of the Higher Education Institutions who set the policy criteria for the scheme. Admissions under the schemes are regulated by the higher education institutions themselves. Under the scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Transport (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I met with the Minister for Transport in September 2022 to discuss transport options for students across the third level sector, including issues relating to access to public transport. I welcome the provision in Budget 2023 to continue the Young Adult Card and its expansion to 16, 17 and 18 year olds in third level education, so that they can also avail of half-price public transport...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the length the wait list expected to be between phase 2 and phase 4 of SOLAS in each relevant apprenticeship is being compiled by SOLAS. An answer will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Qualifications (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: Significant engagement is ongoing between my Department, and the Department of Health to develop a joined-up approach to meet system level demand across the health sector. My Department does not place a quota on the number of places available on programmes leading to entry to the profession of dietitian, that is decided by the relevant HEIs according to their capacity. There are some...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I have reviewed the correspondence from the students from the University of Limerick and the responses to their queries are below. I wish them the best of luck in their academic careers. 1. A renewal of the Leaving certificate process to reduce stress on students so they can meet their full potential. In March 2022 my colleague, the Minister for Education, announced an ambitious programme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: I am aware of and actively addressing the difficulties faced by students in accessing affordable student accommodation. Fundamentally the challenge of affordable student accommodation is one of supply of housing more generally, and the impact of the global economy on the cost of construction. To assist with the shortage of accommodation for our students, on 29 November 2022, I secured...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous with regard to their academic affairs. Both UCD and St Angela’s College, which is a constituent college of the University of Galway, are Designating Awarding Bodies. These bodies hold their own statutory awarding powers and have established processes and procedures for the validation of the courses and awards that they offer. The validation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by my Department is the student grant scheme, which makes available means-tested financial assistance to students in further and higher education. Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students on full-time courses who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department does not have direct responsibility for the HEAR scheme. It is owned and operated by participating Higher Education Institutions. HEAR is a reduced points higher education admissions scheme for Leaving Certificate students (under 23) whose economic or social background are underrepresented in higher education rather than a grant. HEAR currently has no specific entry...