Results 7,441-7,460 of 45,495 for speaker:Simon Harris

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

Simon Harris: Under the Further Education and Training Act (2013), SOLAS has statutory responsibility for planning, funding, and co-ordinating Further Education and Training (FET) in Ireland. My officials have referred your query to SOLAS for direct reply on this individual matter. If you do not receive a response from SOLAS within 30 days, please do come back to my office for further follow-up.

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

Simon Harris: In relation to the request of 22 March, the Deputy's question did instigate an investigation of the matter in SOLAS via this Department. The follow up question of 26 April was answered nine working days later on 9th May. The response issued was as follows - I refer to a Parliamentary Question on 26 April 2022 in which you asked if the case of a person (details supplied) attending...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (12 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The Central Applications Office (CAO) is a not-for-profit company created by the Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It processes applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on the behalf of HEIs. Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. My Department does not have a role in the operation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disability Services (11 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 215 together. I would like to thank the Deputy for the question in relation to dedicated full-time access or disability support staff in further and higher education providers. As part of their core grant funding which is allocated on a block grant basis from the HEA, HEIs are expected to put in place an access infrastructure to support equity of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (11 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The information the Deputy has requested is not collated by my Department. Officials from my  Department are liaising with the HEA and SOLAS who are working on collating the data required. The information will be provided directly to the Deputy's office, once available, in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Wildlife Conservation (11 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department does not have a policy in place to install such artificial structures.  However, my Department is committed to implementing green public procurement (GPP) policies in all appropriate tenders including landscaping tenders. The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: Under my Department’s Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students exclusive of the student contribution. In order to qualify for funding under the FFI, students must meet the criteria of the scheme. The free fees criteria sets out that tuition fees will not be paid in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: 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 integrated care across the entire health service.  My Department is strongly committed to supporting the health of the population through the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine. In assessing an application for the 2022/23 academic year, SUSI will have regard to the following qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant: 1. The student must qualify for the standard rate of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to SOLAS apprenticeships (details supplied) is being collated by SOLAS. SOLAS have advised they will have a response in the coming days and this will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: I am very aware of the impact the cost of living and in particular the cost of accommodation has on students and the challenges students are facing. The impact of the rising costs for students was highlighted  in the recently launched independent report, the Review of the Student Grant scheme commissioned by my Department.   The Student Grant Scheme provides...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (10 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: Third Level Admissions (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The Government’s consistent position is that Russia’s war in Ukraine is illegal, immoral and unjustified. Ireland supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and is committed to playing its part in responding to all those, including students who have been affected by the war.  I am determined that Irish and Ukrainian students who have fled...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The economic review of funding options was published on May 4th - the day I also launched Funding the Future – the Government's policy response to the Cassells and DG Reform Reviews on the future of higher education. It and the economic review are available on the gov.ie website at the following location: . The Deputy will no doubt be keen to learn that Funding the Future...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Reform (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The Implementation Group to which the Deputy refers will - per the Government's response to the Cassells Report, Funding the Future - be based on partnership between Government, the higher education sector and wider societal and enterprise interests. This will entail a stronger focus on measuring and verifying performance from the system, as well as assessing information on costs, quality...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: On the 4thof May I launched Funding the Future – a landmark policy on the future of higher education. Funding the Future, which was approved for publication by Government, settles the question on sectoral funding Higher Education. The policy sets out the vision and direction of higher education funding, our commitment to addressing legacy issues in higher education and detailing our...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: On the 4th of May I launched Funding the Future – a landmark policy on the future of higher education. Funding the Future, which was approved for publication by Government, settles the question on funding Higher Education. The Government has decided that income contingent loans for fees will not form part of the future funding model. Instead, the Government is committing to a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The Student Grant Scheme, administered by SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), provides grant assistance 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 means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (10 May 2022)

Simon Harris: The Student Grant Scheme, administered by SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), provides grant assistance 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 means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied...