Results 7,421-7,440 of 45,495 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (18 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Under the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved full-time course at an approved institution. Part-time courses are not currently eligible for support under the scheme. In 2021 I approved a review of the Student Grant Scheme to ensure that adequate student supports are in place, alongside the sustainable funding model for the sector. One...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 559, 566 and 567 together. Concerns have been raised in relation to aspects of the governance process associated with UL’s acquisition of the former Dunnes Stores site in Limerick City Centre in 2019. The site acquisition in question was not grant-funded by the Exchequer. An independent review of the site acquisition process was commissioned...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The loans available for GEM students are private arrangements between the relevant lenders and the students applying for such loans. Notwithstanding this position my Department has been made aware of reports regarding the specific loan scheme for graduate entry medicine and is currently seeking further information on this issue. The fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: IT hardware (Servers, Storage, PCs, Laptops etc.) purchased by my Department has a lifecycle of 5 years at which point it is usually replaced. The annual appropriation account circular, which is issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), sets out the depreciation policy to be used by Government Departments in their annual appropriation accounts. The current...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Higher education institutions are autonomous within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. As such they are independent in relation to their policies in management of their student accommodation. Refund or cancellation policies in student accommodation should be set out in the license agreement...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The awarding of funding is, in the first instance, a matter for the awarding authority. The reason why part-time and full-time PhDs are treated the same for those applicants that have already commenced a PhD programme is that there is no agreed national approach for determining equivalence between these two modes. The IRC will engage with the National Forum for Doctoral Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gender Equality (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The Gender Equality Enhancement Fund is an annual funding call with the following objectives: - To encourage innovative approaches to addressing gender inequality across HEIs; - To facilitate gender equality initiatives that respond to the recommendations of the HEA Expert Group and/or Gender Equality Taskforce’s recommended actions; and - To encourage cross-sectoral collaboration as a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gender Equality (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I would like to thank the Deputy for her question. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has been collecting gender disaggregated staff data from Irish higher education institutions (HEIs) that are in receipt of annual core-grant funding from the HEA since 2015. This data is published annually by the HEA in the Higher Education Institutional Staff Profiles by Gender and is publicly available...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Equal Opportunities Employment (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: As an equal opportunities employer, my Department is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to staff with disabilities. The Department is also committed to addressing the health and safety needs of all employees, including employees with disabilities. For this purpose, staff may be asked to indicate if they have any needs for reasonable accommodation or health and safety supports...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Apprenticeship is a demand driven educational and training programme which aims to develop the skills of an apprentice in order to meet the needs of industry and the labour market. The development of new apprenticeships is employer-led, with consortia comprising employer groups and educational providers coming together to identify a skills need and appropriate apprenticeship response in their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Please find attached details of capital (infrastructure) funding provided by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and previously the Department of Education and Skills, to Dublin City University from 2018 to the present date, as requested. Dublin City University 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The Student Grant Scheme is the principal support for students in financial terms by my Department. It provides grant assistance to eligible students attending approved full-time courses in approved further or higher educational institutions who meet the prescribed eligibility criteria of the relevant scheme. It is a demand led scheme, with issues such as demographics playing a role in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The estimated cost to the Exchequer of increasing all SUSI maintenance grants by 25% above 2020-2021 levels would be € 41,150,164. The total increase to each maintenance grant needed over and above the €200 allocated for the upcoming academic year ( based on 2020/21 paid maintenance) in order to reach the 25% increase on 2020/2021 levels is €28.88M. The following link...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Craft apprenticeship in Ireland is demand-led, meaning that no limits are applied to the numbers that can register on any programme. Craft apprentice registrations have experienced a marked increase in interest over the past 4 years. In 2021, a record 8,607 new apprentices were registered. There were 6,955 registrations on the 25 craft programmes alone. These are the highest registration...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: In response to your question seeking details of the number of apprentice places in each college of further education and or higher education institute per apprenticeship, please find in the attached table, the data sought. The phase 2 capacity figures presented in the attached document are based on the year the class commenced. Higher education:The first tab in the following table collated by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (17 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (12 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Craft apprentices are eligible for certain allowances during their off-the-job training such as meal, travel and rent allowances. These allowances are paid in addition to the craft training allowances that apprentices receive while they are attending off the job training. All apprentices are primarily employees and as such, eligible apprentices are also entitled to access general employment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (12 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved course, previous academic attainment and means. Particular priority is afforded to those on the lowest incomes and social welfare dependents...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (12 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised...