Results 6,281-6,300 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Projects (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: Bundle 1 of the Higher Education Public Private Partnership Programme, comprising six projects, is currently at preferred tenderer stage. The Enbarr Partnership has been appointed as preferred tenderer and the technical, legal and commercial work streams are currently ongoing, with financial close expected shortly. Construction activities will commence on all six sites after financial close....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: My officials have requested SOLAS to compile the information sought by the Deputy and it will be forwarded when finalised.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: This information is not held by my Department. The majority of our statistics on higher education enrolments are drawn from the Student Records System (SRS) of the HEA. The HEA Student Records System (SRS) has been collecting the entry basis of students entering higher education programmes from 2018/2019 academic year. The table below outlines the overall number of first-year new entrants...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department aims to ensure that the needs of all those who access our services, including people with disabilities, are met and that rights to equal treatment are upheld in service delivery. In line with the statutory obligations set out in the Disability Act 2005, my Department is committed to making its public buildings, services and information accessible to people with disabilities. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: As part of Budget 2023, I secured a significant cost of living package for third level students, including a once-off €1,000 state financial support towards the undergraduate student contribution fee for higher education students eligible for my Department’s free fees schemes. Under this measure, eligible students will have the student contribution they are due to pay reduce...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Funding (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The necessary funding has been made available to Science Foundation Ireland and the Irish Research Council. My Department has made it clear payment should be made to students as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The most complete data set on students with disabilities collected by the HEA is the number of students reported as having a disability from the Equal Access Survey (EAS), which is a voluntary set of questions asked of first years in higher education each year. Data for the 2022/2023 academic year is not available yet. The data which the deputy is requesting is also not routinely collected by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (29 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department was established in August 2020 and commenced moving headquarters into existing State-owned office space in September 2021. Since moving my Department has secured the services of Accent Cleaning Solutions to provide contract cleaning within the building and there is one private cleaner on site Monday – Friday. To date, my Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reviews (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department commissioned the OECD to undertake a review examining Ireland’s National Skills Strategy, as well as our skills structures, policies and approaches. The project was launched in November 2021 by myself and Secretary General of OECD Mathias Cormann. There are four phases, scoping, assessment, recommendations and publication. The project is looking at four key areas -...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: In Budget 2023, I gave priority to introducing a significant package of measures that will see students and families directly benefit and will help them tackle the challenges posed by the increased cost of living. In 2022 these measures include: - Higher education students who are eligible for my Department's free fees schemes will benefit from a once off reduction in the student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The deputy will be aware that when a National Learning Network student enters training, their disability allowance changes to a training allowance for the duration of the course. Following consultation with colleagues in the Department of Social Protection, eligible learners, including those attending the National Learning Network, will receive the once-off payment of €500 announced...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: Random selection is the method chosen by the CAO to differentiate between candidates when the number of candidates with a given number of CAO points outnumber the places available on the course these candidates have applied for. It is based on a randomly generated number allocated to each candidate for each course they apply for. Where candidates are tied on points and random selection...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The Memorandum of Understanding on the Education Principles for the Common Travel Area, which I signed in July of 2021, commits the Irish and UK Governments to maintain reciprocal rights of Irish and British citizens to access programmes in higher education institutions in each other's States on terms no less favourable that the citizens of that State.The question in respect of distance or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Nov 2022)

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...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Education and Training Boards (23 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank my colleague, Senator Kyne, for raising this important matter in respect of GRETB's plans for a new and enlarged further education and training campus in Galway city. I echo the Senator's views. This is an extremely exciting proposition because I understand what GRETB wants to do is to build a brand new college of further education, what we call a further education and training,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Education and Training Boards (23 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I look forward to visiting Galway with the Senator next week. I should also acknowledge, as I know the Senator would, the work of Councillor Michael Mogie Maher, who now chairs GRETB and who is enthusiastic about these levels of investment. It is an exciting time for further education and training around the country. We have moved from a situation in which further education and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Coast Guard Service (23 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Byrne for raising this matter. I hope he will excuse me for taking it in the unavoidable absence of the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. However, I am particularly pleased to take it because, as the Senator has rightly pointed out, it is a part of the world I know well and the station serves a part of the world I represent in Dáil Éireann. I am therefore...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Coast Guard Service (23 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank the Senator. That sounds like a very reasonable suggestion. I will convey it to the Minister of State and his officials in the OPW to see if they can link with him on when such a meeting could be arranged. I echo the Senator's comments about the vital work being carried out by the Coast Guard. It is only right and proper that the Government supports it in its vital work by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (23 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the attached spreadsheet, for the last five academic years available. This information was sourced from the HEA Student Records System (SRS), with the exception of Maynooth University MSc Psychology conversion course, which was sourced directly from the University. This programme commenced in 2019/2020 academic year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (23 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) is a critical support which is allocated by my Department to higher education institutions (HEIs) through the Higher Education Authority. The fund has a dual focus, it is designed to support students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds with ongoing needs for financial support and also to provide emergency financial assistance for students. The...