Results 61-80 of 333 for 5 million speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: ...leading to a higher education award (NQF level 6-10) in the universities, institutes of technology and other approved colleges can apply for the SAF. The core allocation for the SAF is €9.1 million which includes €1 million which was added to the fund in 2017 for part-time students who are lone parents or members of the other access target groups. Prior to that the fund...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: ...working collaboratively with the wind industry to deliver on required skills needs across both further and higher education institutions. Under Budget 2022, a total investment of €78 million for reskilling and upskilling was provided including a €22 million Green Skills Action programme and continued investment in supporting businesses. Ireland’s recent Recovery...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: ...and wellbeing of our students is a priority for my Department, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the increased stress and pressure resulting from it. In 2020, a total of €5 million was allocated to the higher education institutions to support student mental health and wellbeing. HEIs were requested to allocate funds towards student-facing services, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: ...and wellbeing of our students is a priority for my Department, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the increased stress and pressure resulting from it. In 2020, a total of €5 million was provided to address student mental health and wellbeing in higher education. HEIs were requested to distribute funding to student-facing services such as: - Recruitment of additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Project Ireland 2040 (9 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: ...Northern Ireland, and as yet, costs have not yet being finalised. The Deputy will recall that along with the Taoiseach, I launched the North-South research programme with a commitment of €40 million over the next 5 years. The HEA are currently evaluating responses to their Call for Proposals from higher education institutions, North and South. Costs cannot be profiled until...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cross-Border Co-operation (4 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: ...Northern Ireland, and as yet, costs have not yet being finalised. The Deputy will recall that along with the Taoiseach, I launched the North-South research programme with a commitment of €40 million over the next 5 years. The HEA are currently evaluating responses to their Call for Proposals from higher education institutions, North and South.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: ...intention that this review will inform policy priorities and future considerations regarding the development of student grant policy. As part of Budget 2022, I have secured an additional €15m to enhance the existing financial supports under the Student Grant Scheme. For the academic year 2022/23 this will mean:- - An increase to all student grant maintenance payments,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: ...percentages and maybe SOLAS also has some information. I will highlight two actions we are taking. One is on apprenticeships. We are setting targets for the public sector for the first time for 750 apprentices to be taken on in a year in the public sector by 2025, compared to an average of approximately 80 now. It is a big step up. The quota for who will do what will be worked out...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (21 Oct 2021)

Simon Harris: In Budget 2022 I secured €15 million to enhance our 2022 student grant scheme by increasing all maintenance grant payments (including the special rate of grant) by €200 per year thus benefitting circa 62,000 Students; expanding the income threshold by €1000 (with the exception of the special rate of grant) and extending the qualifying distance for the higher...

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Simon Harris: ...forward as part of budget 2022, along with my colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for skills and further education, Deputy Niall Collins. This budget sees an investment of €347 million in further and higher education, research, innovation and science, making this a Department with a budget of more than €3 billion and the fifth largest Department in terms of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Accommodation (13 Oct 2021)

Simon Harris: ...the direct income and financial assistance we can provide to students. I mention our record on the student assistance fund and the fact that, since I have become Minister, we have provided €16 million more to that fund. I was talking to the president of the UCC students' union in recent days about the challenges there and we provided €1.2 million to the student assistance...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (13 Oct 2021)

Simon Harris: ...our new national access and inclusion plan. This will be published in the coming months and I hope by the end of the year. I have recently announced five performance funding awards totalling €5 million in the higher education sector. This included €1 million in funding for UCC's inclusive education pathways for students with intellectual disabilities. This award was based...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (13 Oct 2021)

Simon Harris: ...to be embedded. The Deputy is correct in that it is not just higher education; it could be further education, training or higher education. It is about the same diversity of choice. With €5 million, let us get on with a number of projects, led by learners and grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (13 Oct 2021)

Simon Harris: ...third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended. The core allocation for the SAF is €9.1 million per annum currently supports circa 14,000 students. This includes €1 million which was added to the fund in 2017 for part-time students who are lone parents or members of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Science Foundation Ireland (27 Jul 2021)

Simon Harris: Science Foundation Ireland have committed €5 million towards the SFI Research Infrastructure programme in 2021. The programme is also supported by SEAI who have committed €1 million towards proposals within their remit. The current available funding under the programme is therefore €6 million. There is no maximum budget request for research infrastructure proposals,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Student Accommodation (8 Jul 2021)

Simon Harris: ...he or she only has to give 28 days of notice in student accommodation rather than being out of pocket for many months. We have significantly increased mental health funding, with an additional €5 million for student mental health supports. I take the point the Deputy makes. We want students to know about this and about what will be in place for them long before having to go back...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (8 Jul 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 77 together. On 30 April 2021, I received an application under section 29 of the Technological Universities Act 2018 from the Institute of Technology Carlow and Waterford Institute of Technology. The application is seeking an order under section 36 of the Act for the applicant institutes to be dissolved and the establishment of a technological...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (8 Jul 2021)

Simon Harris: Following my granting on 5 May 2021 of their application for TU status under the Technological Universities Act 2018, the dissolution of Athlone and Limerick Institutes of Technology requires the approval by both Houses of the Oireachtas of a draft order appointing the date of establishment of the new Technological University of the Shannon : Midlands Midwest. The date in prospect is 1...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (30 Jun 2021)

Simon Harris: .... - Increase of 19,000 to 23,000 additional recipients based on SUSI applications received for the 2019/20 academic year. - Increase in cost to the exchequer would be in the region of €40-€50 million. The estimated cost of increasing the SUSI income thresholds by 1%, 5% and 10% on all thresholds is as follows (based on 2019/20 academic year): - Increase in cost to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (22 Jun 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 460 and 461 together. On 22 July 2020, the Government approved a €168 million package of supports for the further and higher education sectors to deal with the impacts of COVID-19. €15 million of this was earmarked for devices to support disadvantaged students. The decision to allocate funding in this area responded to concerns raised by...