Results 7,341-7,360 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I will certainly work with the Deputy and others in the House on the issue. In terms of context, I think it is important to note that we live in a country where more than four out of ten students receive student grants and more than four out of ten students do not pay the €3,000 registration fee. I say that because I often worry that a secondary school student might be listening to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I am very aware of the challenge caused by the withdrawal of the existing loan products designed for students wishing to study medicine through the graduate entry route. Indeed, in recent days I met students in UCD to discuss the issue. Decisions regarding which loan products to offer are, of course, a commercial matter for the banks concerned. That is a statement of fact. However, I do...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Before the commercial decision of the bank was made, I had already had a number of very useful meetings with students of graduate entry medicine. They made points like those made by the Deputy. From my former role as Minister for Health, I think that diversity in professions, and in the medical profession, is a good thing. I also think that diverse routes of entry into medicine are good....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: As Deputy Ó Ríordáin is aware, on 4 May I launched the Funding the Future framework, which includes the Government's policy response to the Cassells report and the Directorate General for Structural Reform Support, DG REFORM, reviews on the future of higher education. It clearly sets out my intention to implement a progressive range of measures to address costs as a barrier to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: While I am a little bit younger that the Deputy, I do remember the policy work of former Minister Niamh Bhreathnach, someone I hold in high regard. If I were to be totally honest, and this is an objective statement, the fees were reduced but the core funding piece was not addressed. What we are trying to do, and we have been working on this on a cross-party basis, is to try to do both. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: That is where I would like to get to but I do not want to mislead the House or students in how we will make progress in this issue. Students and families have been waiting too long for progress on this matter. We do not want to engage in a situation of creating an expectation that cannot be met. I would be fascinated to know if the Deputy or anyone else in this House were the Minister...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The honest answer to the question as to when we will publish the paper is that it will be in advance of the budget. I will get the Deputy a more specific answer than that. It will be in enough time for the Sinn Féin's alternative budget or pre-budget submissions and for me to begin to grapple with and discuss these issues. One imagines it will be published in the autumn but I will...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: As is Deputy Conway-Walsh, I am keenly aware of the pressure felt by students applying to enter higher education. I assure her and the House that I am taking action to relieve these pressures. I requested quite some time ago that my officials would engage with the higher education sector on the creation of additional places in, as the Deputy rightly says, key areas as identified by our...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I would be delighted to come here and debate my record in the Department of Health but we probably do not have time in the 58 seconds available to me other than to say the number of people working in the health service grew every year I was Minister for Health. I agree with the Deputy that time is of the essence in terms of providing clarity on the additional numbers. We are honing in on...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: There are two parts to workforce planning. One is whether we are training enough people in any profession. The second is that if we are training enough people whether they choose to stay working in that area or to stay working in Ireland. The role of the Department is to work with line Departments to identify the number of places they believe are required to adequately meet workforce...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: UL has indicated that, as part of its future campus planning, it is advancing an application for the designation of lands on the County Clare side of its campus as an Economic Strategic Development Zone or SDZ. UL has indicated to my Department that it sees potential for new and innovative models of teaching and learning through designation of an SDZ alongside its current campus, and in...

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

Simon Harris: Inclusion is one of the core strategic goals for my Department, and my ambition is to ensure that we provide supports and opportunities for learning to all. In that context I recognise that there are areas where particular efforts and supports are needed for unemployed women engaging in retraining and reskilling opportunities . I also recognise cost can often be a barrier to accessing...

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

Simon Harris: I am committed to the addressing the costs associated with higher education, and this has been a priority for me over recent Budgets. It is also why I commissioned the review of the Student Grant Scheme, which will support the strategic development of the scheme over the coming years in ways. On the issue of student earnings, while the report does reference the potential to...

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

Simon Harris: I launched the review of the Student Grant Scheme on 4 May. The review was carried out by Indecon Economic Consultants, under the strategic direction of a steering group chaired by my Department. The review involved wide stakeholder engagement, a substantial student consultation as well as novel research on SUSI data and deprivation index data. The report makes a number of...

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

Simon Harris: On 4th May 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 policy sets out the vision and...

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

Simon Harris: Addressing the costs of education for students and their families is a major priority for me. That is why I commissioned the review of the Student Grant Scheme, which was published on 4 May. The review involved wide stakeholder engagement, an extensive consultation with students and research into the costs of higher education. The review identifies a number of issues, including: - the...

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

Simon Harris: I very much recognise the heavy demands on families from outgoings of all kinds, including mortgage payments, but also many other unavoidable costs of living. What is very important in any scheme which involves means assessment is that it is as fair as possible to all applicants. The assessment of means under the Scheme is based on gross income from all sources before the deduction...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I would like to thank the Deputy for this most timely question. As you may be aware, yesterday I had the privilege of launching Impact 2030: Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy. The overarching purpose of Impact 2030is to maximise the impact of research and innovation on critical national priorities. Grounded in extensive consultation and analysis, it will progress objectives...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (19 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Key to the delivery of the ambition set out in the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-25is a new organisational architecture, involving a National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) and National Apprenticeship Alliance (NAA). The Office will have responsibility for all aspects of the management, oversight, and development of the apprenticeship system and for implementing the Action Plan. Under this...

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

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that I am conscious of the financial difficulties faced by students. To address this and further alleviate the pressures caused by the rise in costs for students and their families, I have already initiated improvements for the academic year 2022/23 by increasing all student grant maintenance payments, including the special rate of grant, by €200 per year. I...