Results 6,921-6,940 of 45,495 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ukraine War (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: On 21 June, I secured agreement from Government for a range of measures to help displaced students and researchers. These measures include a new temporary tuition fee scheme, an extension of eligibility to Springboard, a new bursary fund for those who wish to take SOLAS approved PLC courses and an extension of the Student Assistance Fund. The European Commission have also indicated to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ukraine War (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: As of 30 June, there were 38,789 arrivals into Ireland from Ukraine. In line with the EU Temporary Protection Directive they have been granted access to the labour market, housing, social welfare and education on the same basis as an Irish citizen. As enrolments to higher education colleges have not commenced yet and at this stage it is not yet possible to estimate accurately how many may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: The Taoiseach and I recently launched Innovate for Ireland, which is a new partnership between industry and the Government to recruit and retain research talent to Ireland. Innovate for Ireland will commence in 2023 and the initial phase will seek to attract up to 400 high calibre PhD students to undertake research in Ireland that tackles national and global grand challenges such as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: I understand that Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB (MSLETB) has identified a project associated with Mayo College of Further Education for possible funding under the Further Education and Training (FET) College of the Future Major Projects Fund, a new capital investment programme for the FET sector. This capital investment programme will support additional capacity, upgrading and enhancement of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: Apprenticeships are employer led demand driven educational and training programmes, which 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. The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 sets out new ways of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: Addressing the costs of education for students and their families is a major priority for me. As part of the last Budget, I prioritised a number of changes to the SUSI scheme which will benefit learners in the coming academic year. All student grant maintenance payments, including the special rate of grant, will increase by €200 per year. The qualifying income thresholds,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: The Government has agreed a sustainable funding model for higher education . Following an extensive economic assessment undertaken through the European Commission's DG Reform programme, €307 million has been identified as the level of funding required to address the current underfunding in Higher Education. My policy position in this regard was articulated in Funding our Future, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: Ireland has an advanced system of skills provision, across the spectrum of further and higher education and apprenticeship, lifelong learning and human capital development. This takes place within the framework of our National Skills Strategy and responds to challenges and opportunities for strengthening the skills profile of our workforce. I requested that my officials engage with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: The Higher Education Route (HEAR) and the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) are reduced points mechanisms for entry into Higher Education. Both schemes are 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: On 4thMay I launched the Funding the Future framework which includes the Government's policy response to the Cassells and DG Reform Reviews on the future of higher education and which sets out my intention to implement a progressive range of measures to address costs as a barrier to education, in the context of overall Budgetary decision-making. The Implementation Group to which the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: The student maintenance grant is payable at either the adjacent or non-adjacent rate. The distance to be measured is the shortest non-tolled most direct route from the student’s residence to the institution attended. In Budget 2022, I reduced the distance criterion for students to qualify for the non-adjacent rate of grant from 45km to 30km, effective from the start of the 2022/23...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Renewable Energy Generation (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: A dynamic and evolving economy will always have skills demands and challenges. Our imperative is to ensure agility and responsiveness in the skills ecosystem. Through 2022 Ireland, in partnership with the OECD, is reviewing Ireland’s skills strategies, policies and approaches to help us ensure that our skills system is future proofed. A core objective for my Department is to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: The information that the Deputy is requesting is not readily available so I have asked Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) to prepare a response to this query and this will be provided to the deputy directly as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: Neither I nor my Department have any function in this matter. On-campus operational matters of this type are matters for the higher education institution in question to decide. However, my Department understands that Technological University of the Shannon are in a detailed procurement process for the provision of signage on its campuses. There will be new TÚS signage on the Ennis...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 279 together. A key objective of the ‘Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025’is to ensure that the apprenticeship system will increase its contribution to meeting Ireland’s skills and human capital requirements by delivering on a target of 10,000 apprenticeship registrations per annum by 2025. In 2021, a record 8,607 new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 77 together. On 28thJune, 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 are available from September 2022. The places were created following extensiveengagements between my Department, the HEA and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: Since becoming Minister, both I and my Department officials have engaged and continue to engage on as ongoing basis with the Minister and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the wider higher education sector and relevant stakeholders on student accommodation issues including within the context of the advancement of the Government's Housing for All policy. Fifteen meetings...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: The following enrolment data was sourced from the HEA SRS database. A list of courses available in the therapy disciplines requested is contained in the attached spreadsheet. Table 1: Enrolments by Discipline Enrolments by Discipline 2018/2019 2019/2020 2020/2021 Speech and Language 463 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: Ensuring an appropriate pipeline of suitably qualified healthcare professionals is a key priority. The challenges presented by Covid-19 have given extra urgency to the need to address the long-term workforce planning needs of the health system. My Department is strongly committed to supporting the health of the population through the provision of graduates with the key competencies and skills...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (7 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: The number of persons granted a SUSI grant in each of the past ten years and to date in 2022 is below. While the information goes back to the 2012/2013 academic year, it is important to say the first year that SUSI processed all applications was the 2015/2016 Academic year, and the numbers should be read in that context. 2012-13* 2013-14* 2014-15* ...