Results 6,421-6,440 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Programme (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: The Programme for Government Our Shared Future includes a commitment to ensure that Ireland is a global leader in research and innovation across the arts, humanities, social sciences and STEM. Consequently, Impact 2030: Ireland's Research and Innovation Strategy, which I launched on the 18th of May, positions research and innovation at the heart of addressing Ireland's societal, economic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: TU Dublin and the Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) are actively considering the options and timeframes for the relocation of the Business School to the Grangegorman site. Under the terms of the Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) Act 2005, both TU Dublin and the GDA are responsible for the disposals of the assets. Both the GDA and TU Dublin are mandated by the 2005 Act to obtain the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: As part of Budget 2023 the Government has approved a once off state support of €1,000 towards the student contribution payable by students eligible for free tuition fees under my Department’s free fees schemes in academic year 22/23.   Where students do not qualify for free fees funding they pay the appropriate fee as determined by each higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: The matter of health workforce planning and ensuring an appropriate pipeline of qualified healthcare workers within Ireland, is a major priority for my Department. The Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: Maynooth University recently informed my Department that its’ Governing Authority has taken the difficult decision to terminate the Maynooth University Student Centre contract. My Department does not have any direct involvement in the project in question, as no direct exchequer funding was being provided by my Department for this project, which was solely being funded by European...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (19 Oct 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. For students in private colleges the reduction will apply where students are attending approved...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank the committee for the invitation to be here with my officials to discuss our plans for the sustainable future funding of the higher education sector, student accommodation and a number of other agenda items which have the Chair outlined. I previously said to this committee that neither I nor the Government would be found wanting when it comes to trying to addressing the question of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh. I wish to assure her that my position on North-South is not just to list all we are doing and all that we have done. I genuinely share her view and am more convinced by the day from my engagement North-South, and from my visit to Queen's University Belfast where I gave a guest lecture over the summer months outlining my vision for an all-Island approach to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I read the committee's reports and take its recommendations on board so we are proceeding with that to try and get a concrete understanding, an actual database, as to what is going on here. I will not take too much time on this but there are a number of real actions that we are taking to try to accelerate all-island collaboration in both further and higher education. In 2023, will see the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: The Senator covered a lot of ground so I hope she will bear with me. I thank her for working with me on the Higher Education Authority Bill. I enjoyed and appreciated her input. I am pleased we have managed to reduce the student contribution fee by €1,000 on a one-off basis. I am equally, if not more, proud that we have come up with a proper structure to look at the issue of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. When he mentioned pronouncing his name, I thought of Kamala Harris. He could do very interesting election ads. He probably has-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his comments on adult literacy. I should acknowledge, because it is the truth, that the Deputy was the first Oireachtas Member who spoke to me about the issue of adult literacy. We have been doing a lot of work on it as a Department, trying to advance some of the issues we discussed. We now have a national programme office set up to deliver the new adult literacy for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I am very committed. I am not an island and I am not the entire Government. It will require the Senator's party, my party and Senator Pauline O'Reilly's party working together to prioritise these issues. I have had great support from the Taoiseach on this. I want to genuinely acknowledge that, but it will require a collective effort from the whole Government. There are a couple of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: Given that it has over €1 billion sitting in it and soon it will have €2 billion, I believe it could if there was a political will and a bit of ingenuity. I am not saying it should, though. I believe it is a pot that needs to be considered. I would like to mention a second issue that did not get enough of a hearing, although it got a fair hearing today at the implementation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I am not just an individual Minister who is saying he would like to do something about student accommodation and asking whether somebody should do something about it. Thankfully, it is more than that. At a Cabinet committee on housing in July, I think, the Taoiseach and I strongly put forward the view that there was a need for an intervention and the Taoiseach provided his imprimatur for...