Results 8,361-8,380 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (8 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: The €500,096,000 gross capital funding allocated to my Department in 2021 as set down in the annual Estimates is provided both directly and through my Department’s aegis bodies to fund: i) the capital investment needs of higher and further education institutions, ii) Irish research including through Science Foundation Ireland. A breakdown of capital spending for 2021 will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 to 111, inclusive, and 113 together. Growth in education and training provision in green skills and sustainability is ongoing across the Tertiary Education sector. A range of options are available from short courses targeted at awareness building, upskilling and reskilling programmes to full and part-time academic and vocational programmes. The curricula...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: Apprentices are employees and their rates of pay are agreed between themselves and the employer. Certain sectors such as construction and electrical apprentices are paid agreed rates as set out within sectoral wage agreements to under Sectoral Employment Orders. The State pays training allowances directly to apprentices in the 25 craft apprenticeships while attending off-the-job training in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: The Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme was launched in 2020 to support employers to continue to recruit and employ apprentices during the COVID-19 period. Apprenticeship provides a rapid route to employment while gaining a qualification and therefore is an important skills response for workers most impacted by sectoral closures and a potential need to reskill. The introduction of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: Craft apprenticeships account for 25 of the 62 existing available apprenticeship programmes. Given the practical nature of off-the-job training for craft apprentices, the COVID-related shutdown of on-site learning activity in 2020 and 2021 had a significant impact on the ability of craft apprentices to access off-the-job training. As at the end of November, there were 11,382 craft...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: In 2019 SOLAS delivered training to a total of 9,503 craft apprentices across phases two, four and six off-the-job training in ETBs and Higher Education Institutions. It should be noted that Phase 2 classes are between 20-22 weeks in duration and are run all year round, therefore scheduling of those classes is ongoing throughout the year. Traditionally, ETBs have facilitated two intakes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Examinations (8 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: Education is an essential service and the Government has agreed that it can continue on-site, in line with Safe Return Plan published in June. The Safe Return Plan and the most recent guidance on the current approach advocate and support contingency planning to ensure that institutions remain flexible and adaptable in response to changes in the public health environment. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (7 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013, craft and general construction workers, persons undertaking on-site security work and persons or classes of persons as may be prescribed by the relevant Minister are required to hold a safety awareness registration card (Safe Pass card). SOLAS is actively pursuing the activation of an online assessment option...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: Housing for All, published on 2 September 2021, sets out an unprecedented level of collaboration across government and with key stakeholders backed up by historic levels of funding. Working with and enabling the private sector to deliver on housing is central to this plan. An overarching governance framework has been established in the Department of An Taoiseach to oversee implementation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (7 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 419 and 425 together. Education is an essential service and the Government has agreed that it can continue on-site, in line with Safe Return Plan published in June. The Safe Return Plan and the most recent guidance on the current approach advocate and support contingency planning to ensure that institutions remain flexible and adaptable in response to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Protected Disclosures (7 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: In accordance with Section 22 of the Protected Disclosure Act 2014, my Department has published information on protected disclosures received during 2018, 2019 and 2020 on its website: www.gov.ie/en/collection/department-of-education-and-skills- protected-disclosures-reports/. The reports for these years are joint reports with the Department of Education as the Department of Further and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Social Enterprise Sector (7 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science funds and creates policy for the higher and further education and research sectors. We also oversee the work of the state agencies and public institutions operating in these areas. Information on the promotion and support of the social enterprise sector in 2022, within the scope of the Deputy’s question,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: At the end of November 2021, there were 230 apprentices registered across the five existing logistics apprenticeships. (Lean Sigma Manager, Logistics Associate, Supply Chain Associate, Supply Chain Manager and Supply Chain Specialist). Development funding for the purposes of progressing the proposed Level 6 apprenticeship in Transport Operations and Commercial Driving was released in late...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (7 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: Languages Connect – Ireland’s Foreign Languages Strategy 2017-2026 sets out an ambitious programme of action to improve the national level of competence in foreign languages and to diversify the range of languages in regular use in Ireland and by Irish people abroad. The study of foreign languages is important to economic success and increases economic efficiency. Higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: I launched the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 in April 2021 following an extensive consultation exercise. The Plan sets out the rationale for, and structure of, an apprenticeship system which will provide clarity for learners, employers and education and training providers in terms of access to and engagement with apprenticeship. Both the existing craft and consortia-led...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (7 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department is strongly committed to supporting the mental health of the population through the provision of graduates with the key competencies and skills to be effective in the health workforce, and support a range of clinical teams in our health services. My Department understands there is a longstanding arrangement in place under which the HSE, and indeed former Health Boards, recruit...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (2 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: I thank the Senator for tabling this important debate today about Dundalk IT and crucially about ensuring we have a technological university for the north east of the country. I also thank the Senator for keeping this item on the political agenda and for all the engagement and discussions we have had on it. Let me be really clear. The north east is not going to be left behind. The...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (2 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator McGahon. When people look back on 2021, they will see it as a very significant year for making progress for the north east in respect of education, including higher education and the future of DkIT. It will be the year in which there was an agreed plan based on the vision, in which funding was put in place and in which the expert adviser was appointed. I should have said in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (2 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is not available. The key source of statistics is the HEA's student records system (SRS) which records enrolments as at March of every academic year, giving a single point of reference. Therefore data is not available on a national level on students who begin a course but leave before March. However representatives have stated that there was no...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (2 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: The National Skills Infrastructure provides a robust structure for engagement with sectors on areas of identified skills needs.  There are a range of programmes in place to support the home care sector which are delivered across the further and higher education system.  At further education level, there are currently 89 courses leading to a Level 5...