Results 6,941-6,960 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

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* ...

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

Simon Harris: The statutory based Student Grant Scheme and Student Support Regulations are reviewed annually by my Department, following consultation with various stakeholders. In particular my Department consults with the Department of Social Protection on an ongoing basis around various support schemes available to students in both Departments. Students in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance...

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

Simon Harris: Apprentices are primarily employees and all of the 65 apprenticeships are subject to a contract of employment. For the majority of apprenticeships, the rate of pay is agreed between the apprentice and the employer. On that basis any review of those rates currently payable is a matter for negotiation and agreement under the appropriate industrial relations structures in place and it would not...

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

Simon Harris: The ‘Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025’ sets out new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships to make apprenticeship accessible to employers and learners.  The Plan seeks to deliver on a target of 10,000 apprenticeship registrations per annum, across a wide range of programmes, by 2025. The expansion of apprenticeship across all sectors has...

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

Simon Harris: On 2nd June 2022, I announced new initiatives to support autistic students and those with an intellectual disability access higher education. The proposals, which will form part of the proposed new National Access Plan, will allocate ring-fenced funding of €3 million a year to 2025 so higher education institutions can implement universal design and inclusive practices on their...

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

Simon Harris: A new 9,042m2 STEM building is planned for Munster Technological University (MTU) Kerry Campus, under the Higher Education PPP programme, consisting of labs, agri-machinery workshops, classroom spaces and ancillary space. The new STEM building will replace older infrastructure on the South Campus and will increase the capacity of the institution by some 440 students. An entrance upgrade...