Results 7,941-7,960 of 45,495 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: 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 There are currently 62 apprenticeship programmes on offer ranging from levels 5-10 on the National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I want to start by reiterating the Government’s utter condemnation of Russia’s actions in Ukraine as illegal and immoral.  Across Government we are examining the actions that need to be taken to support people affected by this aggression, including students and researchers.  I discussed these issues, including the overall EU response, when I met Commissioner...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: The TU Act sets out that employees shall be subject to the same terms and conditions of service, including terms and conditions as they were subject to immediately before the amalgamation of an Institute of Technology into a new Technological University.  Any human resource legacy issues that were relevant to an Institute of Technology or new human resource issues arising after the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: There are no officially published statistics for 2022 which provide the full information covering public and private expenditure on higher education as a proportion of national income of the type requested by the Deputy.  It is also difficult to compare these proportions across different EU Member States given that education systems are structured and funded in different ways.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department provides funding by way of the Students Assistance Fund to students attending eligible Higher Education Institutions who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending third level.  In general, the Fund has a dual focus. It is designed to support students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds who have ongoing needs for financial support and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: The growth of the renewable energy sector is critical to meeting our Climate Action targets, with wind energy at the heart of our ambition to cut CO2 emissions in the electricity sector. The Government is committed to ensuring that the education and training system is appropriately positioned to support the growth and development of the skills required to support the sector into the future. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: On 21 February 2022, I announced the appointment of the chairperson and two ordinary members of the first governing body of the new TU, following an open competition. I have appointed Dr Patrick Prendergast, former Provost of Trinity College Dublin, as chairperson. Mr Jim Bergin, CEO of Glanbia, and Ms Ruth Beadle, who holds a key leadership role at Sanofi, are the two ordinary members...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I am very conscious of the challenges faced by students in relation to student accommodation, and my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are working closely together on these issues. Fundamentally the underlying issue is one of supply and there is a need to increase the supply of all types of accommodation including student accommodation. That is why...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I am very conscious of the difficulties that students, like so many others in society, face as a result of the increased costs of living.  For students and their families this includes not just costs such as accommodation and food but also education-specific costs such as tuition fees and the student contribution.  I have regular meetings with the USI and engagement with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: Carlow College, St. Patrick's is a privately run education institution operating outside the publicly funded higher education system. The institution plays a key role in the provision of third level education in the Carlow region. I have been delighted to meet with representatives of the college to discuss future plans and to visit Carlow College myself to meet learners and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) provides financial assistance to students experiencing financial difficulties while attending third level. In general, the SAF has a dual focus, it is designed to support students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds with ongoing needs for financial support and provide emergency financial assistance for other students. The core funding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: Inclusion is one of the core strategic goals for my Department. My ambition is to ensure that we provide supports and opportunities for learning to all. This means recognising the needs of vulnerable learners, the most marginalised and those with special and additional needs.  The Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) Supporting DEIS Learners Transition to FET Steering Group...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 sets out new ways of structuring, funding, and promoting apprenticeships to make apprenticeship more accessible to employers and learners, to achieve a target of 10,000 annual registrations across a wide range of programmes by 2025. Expansion to date has widened the impact of apprenticeship to areas of skills shortage such as engineering,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas Tríú Leibhéal (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: Glactar le samhail na comhrialála sa reachtaíocht agus dá réir sin foráiltear go bhfuil gach institiúid ardoideachais freagrach go príomha as a cuid rialachais féin taobh istigh de chreat foriomlán feidhmíochta agus rialála don earnáil. Neartaíonn an tsamhail sin neamhspleáchas na n-institiúidí agus ceadaíonn...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I am very conscious of the difficulties that students, like so many others in society, face as a result of the increased costs of living.  For students and their families this includes not just costs such as accommodation and food but also education-specific costs such as the student contribution.  I have regular meetings with the USI and engagement with students across the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his question on this important matter. Our higher education institutions have a duty of care to their students and staff, and a responsibility to foster a campus culture that is clear in the condemnation of unwanted and unacceptable behaviours, which act as barriers to their safety and their active participation in college life. Significant progress has been made...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: My objective as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, is to ensure that there is access into either further or higher education for each person who wishes to pursue educational options at third-level. Access to higher education in Ireland is very open by international standards, with our population of 25-34 year-olds having the highest level of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 407 together. Education and training related to retrofitting and broader construction sector skills is delivered across the full remit of Further and Higher Education (through apprenticeship; non-apprenticeship further education and training (FET) and Higher Education (HE)) and through mainstream education and training as well as through specific...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: The National Development Plan (NDP) provides for a step up in capital funding and a significantly more ambitious phase of capital investment in the FET sector.  My Department has worked closely with SOLAS in building up the governance, strategic framework and delivery capability required to underpin and support this major programme of FET investment. In February this year,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 sets a target of 10,000 annual apprentice registrations by 2025. In 2021 there were a record 8,607 registrations- up from 6,177 for 2019, the last pre-COVID full year, and the highest annual registrations since the 2006 figure of 8,306. This shows the high degree of interest in this career option amongst both employers and potential apprentices. ...