Results 8,021-8,040 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

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

Simon Harris: I recognise that cost can be major factor for many people in accessing higher education, and I am committed to delivering on the Programme for Government’s commitments regarding SUSI.  In addition to commissioning a major review of the scheme, I have also prioritised expansion and reform of the scheme in budgetary allocations. I commissioned a major review of the Student...

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

Simon Harris: Student's participating on the Erasmus+ programme is not captured by SUSI, however, the Higher Education Authority captures the numbers of students from disadvantaged backgrounds that participate in the Erasmus+ programme. If the student is in receipt of the SUSI grant, they are entitled to an additional top up support for Erasmus+ mobilities. In 2014, the HEA introduced a €100 monthly...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Staff (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: The attached tabular statement contains the information requested by the Deputy.  2020 - Department FHERIS Minister/MoS Special Adviser Annual Salary Pension Simon Harris Special Advisers €200,579 N/A 2021 - Department FHERIS Minister/MoS Special Adviser Annual Salary ...

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

Simon Harris: The Student Grant Scheme, administered by SUSI, 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 decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the centralised student grant awarding authority...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 419 and 420 together. On 21st of February I announced the Chairperson and two ordinary members of the first governing body of the South East Technological University. These individuals will attend the current Joint Governing Body TU Steering Committee in advance of the establishment of the TU, as outlined in the candidate information booklet issued as part...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Commissions of Investigation (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: In response to the Deputies query I can confirm there are no ongoing commissions of investigations under the remit of my Department. 

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Protected Disclosures (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science did not come into existence until August 2020 and as such any disclosures made up until that time would have been made to the then Minister for Education and Skills. The table below gives a breakdown by year since 2019 of the number of applications made under Section 8 of the Protected Disclosures Act, 2014,...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 423 and 424 together. High-quality graduate output is critical to meeting the needs of the economy, and the number of students enrolled in all areas of higher education has steadily increased over the past number of years. Since 2014, yearly graduates from HEA-funded higher education institutions have increased by 22%, from 66,500 in 2014 to 81,400...

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

Simon Harris: There are a number of key strategies in place at all levels to ensure we meet existing and future skills demands, including in the area of medical science. These include policies designed to ensure a pipeline of suitably qualified science and technical graduates, and initiatives to equip young people and the working population more generally with the skills and capacity to meet these...

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

Simon Harris: Equity of Access to Higher Education continues to be a national priority for the Government and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The Programme for Government reflects the importance of supporting learners at risk of education disadvantage and learners with special education needs in higher education. My Department has taken a range of...

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

Simon Harris: The challenge to deliver suitably qualified graduates to meet the demands of the economy is a fundamental focus for my Department across the entire skills system, including tertiary - composed of further and higher education - and also through the research ecosystem at fourth level. Ireland has an advanced system of skills provision, across further and higher education and lifelong...

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

Simon Harris: Maintaining and developing a strong supply of STEM graduates is critical to Ireland’s growth as a world-class centre of innovation and research.  Ensuring that we have good gender balance in STEM is a key part of meeting this supply. It is also a worthwhile policy goal in its own right, given all that we know about the importance of diversity in STEM, as well as our desire to...

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

Simon Harris: My Department is committed to ensuring a safe and respectful environment for both students and staff in our higher education institutions. In June 2021, I wrote to the Presidents of the Higher Education Institutions to request their support and participation in two surveys by researchers at the specialist DCU Anti-Bullying Centre, with the support of my Department. The first survey...

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

Simon Harris: The number of students enrolled in higher education courses in natural sciences, mathematics and statistics has increased by 14.4% since 2014, rising from 21,400 to 24,500. The annual number of graduates from these courses has increased by 22.4%, from 5,500 to 6,700. These figures are expected to increase further over the coming years. My Department and I are determined to be the driver...

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

Simon Harris: As a small, open economy, Ireland relies on external demand and international markets for sustainable and continued growth. The market for innovation and research is also global – international cooperation in research and innovation plays an important role in the development and sustainability of a world-class innovation and research system. The centrality of the higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 433 and 434 together. Equity of Access to Further and Higher Education continues to be a national priority for the Government and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Inclusion is a key goal in my Department's Statement of Strategy. It is important to state the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: In the Further Education and Training, FET, sector, the Specialist Training Provision (STP) programme addresses the identified training needs of people with both physical and intellectual disabilities who are experiencing exclusion and labour market disadvantage in the form of vocational training programmes. Courses are generally one to two years in duration, are delivered all year round and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Mar 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 graduates with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (2 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: In 2021, a record 8,607 new apprentices were registered in the apprenticeship system. This is an increase of over 38% in comparison to 2020. 6,955 registrations were in craft apprenticeships, and largely in the construction sector. There were 1,652 registrations on the newer, post-2016 programmes. At the end of 2021, the overall apprentice population was 24,212. Regarding the deputy’s...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (2 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I am very conscious of the challenges faced by students seeking to access affordable student accommodation. 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 Government launched Housing for All led by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage which sets...