Results 7,681-7,700 of 45,495 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: There are 5 staff members on secondment to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science from both the civil and public service. There are 3 members of staff on secondment from my Department to outside organisations. The salary costs for these staff are covered by the receiving organisations. Please note that for administrative purposes, Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (26 Apr 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 the Department has been made aware of reports regarding the specific loan scheme for graduate entry medicine and is seeking further information on this issue. The fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety factors...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department allocates mental health and well-being funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). As autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of this funding, including the funding of their student services, the employment of counselling staff, and the procurement of counselling and mental health...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is not held by my Department. The HEA conducts analysis of non-progression rates for undergraduate students, but does not hold this information for postgraduate students. The HEA recently published an analysis of non-progression for new entrants in 2017, 2018 and 2019. This report is published on the HEA website at the following...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1190, 1192, 1193, 1196, 1199, 1202, 1206, 1207 and 1216 together. The loans available for GEM students are private arrangements between the relevant lenders and the students applying for such loans. Notwithstanding this position the Department has been made aware of reports regarding the specific loan scheme for graduate entry medicine and is seeking...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: Enrolments in graduate entry medicine for Irish, UK and EU students are in the table below. The data is from the 2020/21 academic year, the latest available. The data is taken from the HEA's Student Records System (SRS) which is my Department's primary source of student statistics. Year of Study Ireland (Other) EU Great Britain Northern Ireland ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1194, 1195, 1203 and 1204 together. Ireland's overall approach to skills and training is outlined in the National Skills Strategy 2016 - 2025 (NSS) which is designed to benefit all people living in Ireland. It recognises that Skills policy is an area of enormous importance - informing how people in Ireland live, work, learn and thrive.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: I am taking public research partnerships to mean research collaborations between publicly-funded bodies and the private sector. My Department allocates specific competitive funding for research through Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Irish Research Council (IRC). In 2021, SFI and the IRC spent €257 million to that end. Higher Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science was established in October 2020. Since its establishment no payments have been issued to Mayo County Council from my Department's Financial Management System.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is not available to my Department. My Department's source of information on graduates is the HEA's Student Records System, which does not record information such as placement hours completed. In the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, significant work was undertaken by a stakeholder group chaired by the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Land Issues (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: Where land or property is being considered for acquisition by a higher education institution, an independent valuation must be obtained.  This valuation informs a value for money analysis as part of the overall business case.  The market value of land varies considerably depending on the location of the land and other factors.  This underlines the importance of robust...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Expenditure Policy (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy requested, please find attached the details of the capital public expenditure at the National University of Galway and at Atlantic TU - Galway Mayo Campuses over the past 10 years. ">Capital Public Expenditure

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Land Issues (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) continue to work closely with Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) in relation to meeting requirements to deliver on the ambitions of the new Technological University. WIT has prepared a detailed preliminary business case, in accordance with the requirements of the Public Spending Code, to examine options for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: There are no staff members of my Department who have availed of a secondment since the establishment of the Department in 2020 on the basis that it was not the intention of the staff member to return to the Department following their secondment period.  

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to this issue has been requested from SOLAS Officials in my department are engaging with the SOLAS to confirm the exact position and the details will be communicated to the Deputy as soon as possible. 

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: In line with the European Council Decision of 4 March, the Government is applying the rights afforded under the International Protection Act, 2015 to: (a) Ukrainian nationals residing in the Ukraine before 24 February 2022; (b) Third Country Nationals who were permanently residing in Ukraine before 24 February 2022; (c) Stateless persons, and nationals of third countries other than the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: The Government is committed under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 to working with employers to promote, enable, and support the recruitment and training of apprentices. There is a very substantial allocation of resources to apprenticeships drawing on the funding raised through the Employer Training Levy into the National Training Fund. Therefore, apprenticeships are not a direct...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: Apprenticeships are employer-led demand-driven educational and training programmes that 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 A key objective of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: I am commited to the progressive implementation of measures to address costs as a barrier to education, which will include the student contribution, within the overall context of Government policy towards costs of living and other relevant strategies including those related to access and participation in education.    Under the Department’s Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Science Foundation Ireland (26 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: Professor Philip Nolan was appointed as the Director General of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) in January 2022. He replaced Professor Mark Ferguson, who was the Director General of SFI for the previous 10 years.  The information requested by the Deputy is in the attached document. The Science Foundation Ireland Director General salary package from...