Results 6,341-6,360 of 45,495 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department is committed to the continued roll-out of supports and targeted initiatives to tackle educational disadvantage and support equity of access, participation and success in both further and higher education.   The new National Access Plan: Strategic Action Plan for Equity, Participation and Success in Higher Education, 2022-02028, was launched on 31st August 2022. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: In July 2022, I announced that 50 additional '1916 bursaries' of €5,000 per student would be made available for the most socio-economically disadvantaged students as identified in the National Access Plan. This includes those with a disability, mature students, lone parents, and further education award holders. In addition, changes were introduced to the 2022/2023 PATH 2 '1916 Bursary'...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 806 and 807 together. The procurement, purchase and rent of Government offices is the responsibility of Property Management Services in the Office of Public Works, which acts as an agent for all Government Departments and offices. I can confirm to the Deputy that an office space was acquired in September 2021 for my Department’s Head Quarters at 52...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: Accommodation shortages in the private rental market is impacting significantly on students.   Fundamentally, the challenge is one of supply.  As a country, we need to dramatically increase the supply of all types of housing and accommodation, including student accommodation.   A considerable body of work has been undertaken since the Cabinet Committee on Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The new International Education Research and Innovation Strategy will be a high-level document setting ambitious yet achievable strategic goals and objectives in international education and research, and will seek to align further and higher education with research and innovation in a single strategy.  The new strategy will also play a key role in the recovery of these sectors...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Substance Misuse (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I am conscious of how drug use can hinder the progression and participation of students in tertiary education. The National Drugs and Alcohol Strategy (2017-2025) represents a framework for dealing with the issues of Drug and Alcohol use in Ireland. In introducing the strategy, the Taoiseach noted that Ireland has a problem with substance misuse. Rates of drug use in Ireland have risen...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is currently seeking expressions of interest from higher education institutions interested in building capacity in Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Nursing, and Veterinary. This process has been designed to respond swiftly to national skills needs, and EOIs are sought from institutions with capability to expand existing courses or create new courses in these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: On 28th June 2022, I announced the creation of over one thousand college places across a range of disciplines, including welfare, nursing, ICT, architecture and construction, engineering and environment. These places were made available from September 2022. The places were created following extensive engagements between my Department, the HEA and the higher education sector. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Technological Universities Act 2018 and the Institutions of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006. Under this legislation the institutions are academically independent and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes, including the mode of delivery...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013, and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Quarries) Regulations, 2008, construction and quarrying workers undergo training, assessment, certification and registration for their roles. Additionally under the 2013 Regulations, persons undertaking on-site security work and persons or classes of persons as may be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: As part of Budget 2023, I have 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. Students who already hold a level 8 degree and are studying a second level 8 course are not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy was obtained from the Student Record System (SRS) in the HEA and is detailed in the attached table. MTU Cork Level 7 Ordinary/General Degree Course Year 2018/2019 2019/2020 2020/2021 2021/2022 Bachelor of Arts Social Care Work ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: CORU is in the process of introducing regulation of the Social Care profession for the first time. At the beginning of September, my officials wrote to all providers of Social Care programmes, including Munster Technological University (MTU), asking that institutions communicate their position in relation to CORU application and accreditation to all students.  I understand that MTU have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: Awards and qualifications are associated with the awarding bodies which were in existence at the time that these awards were conferred. Legally these awards and qualifications cannot be changed subsequently. Therefore, qualifications obtained in Regional Technical Colleges and Institutes of Technology cannot now be changed to qualifications of Technological Universities. A student who...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: Apprenticeships are employer led demand driven educational and training programmes that aim to develop the skills of an apprentice in order to meet the needs of industry and the labour market. As apprentices are employees, the demand for and number of apprentices is primarily dictated by the employers in any area or sector. Top level data for the end of October has just come available....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 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: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 825 and 827 together. The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 sets out new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships to make apprenticeship more accessible to employers and learners, to achieve a target of 10,000 annual registrations across a wide range of programmes by 2025. Expanding apprenticeship across all sectors of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: In response to the Deputy's request relating to officials participating in the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Programme, I can confirm that, since the establishment of my Department in August 2020, no officials have undertaken this course.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: As part of Budget 2023 I have 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. The once off €1,000 support relates specifically to the student contribution payable by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (8 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the attached spreadsheet. The data was sourced from the HEA Student Records system for the most recent five academic years available, 2017/2018 to 2021/2022 inclusive. This data outlines the medical student enrolment numbers for Irish Students, including Northern Ireland, per Higher Education Institution, including a percentage breakdown...