Results 8,401-8,420 of 47,419 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: Government is acutely aware of the issues being faced by students trying to source affordable accommodation. It must be recognised, however, that fundamentally, the challenge is one of supply of housing more generally. That is why Government launched Housing for All, led by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The plan is backed by the largest housing budget in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Unions (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: Both I and my officials meet regularly with unions that represent students when I visit campuses across Ireland, through formal bilateral meetings and also as part of Departmental structures including the Funding the Future steering group. At these meetings we discuss many issues including how the cost of living and the cost of education is impacting on students and their families. These...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy may be aware, up to now, there has been a long-standing legislative impediment to farming apprenticeships. This reflected the fact that under the Industrial Training Act, 1967, the development of apprenticeship programmes in “an activity of agriculture, horticulture or fishing which is an activity of primary production, or any activity of a professional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: Apprentices are primarily employees and all of the 66 available apprenticeships are undertaken under a contract of employment. For the majority of apprenticeships, the rate of pay is agreed between the apprentice and the employer with the employer paying the apprentice during both on-the-job and off-the-job training elements of the apprenticeship. For the 25 craft apprenticeship programmes,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: Medicine, veterinary medicine, and healthcare professions generally are areas of high student interest and demand, and applications for higher education places in these areas has consistently outstripped the supply available. Ensuring an appropriate pipeline of suitably qualified healthcare professionals is a key priority. My Department is strongly committed to supporting the health of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: The Deputy may be aware that I have already instigated improvements to the student grant scheme in Budget 2022. For the academic year 2022/23, I increased the income threshold to qualify for the standard rate of student grant by €1,000. As part of Budget 2023, I have secured a significant cost of living package for third level students including a once-off €1,000 state...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: One of the five overarching objectives of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025is "Apprenticeship for All". In other words, ensuring that the profile of the apprenticeship population more closely reflects the profile of the general population. As per the latest data available there are 1,744 female apprentices, up from 60 in 2016 and only 665 at the end of 2019, and representing 7% of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department is strongly committed to supporting the wellbeing of the population through the provision of graduates with the key competencies and skills to be effective in the health and education workforce, and support a range of public services, including educational psychology. In this context, the Department is engaging on an ongoing basis with the Department of Health, the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 609 together. It is important to note that my Department allocates recurrent funding to the HEA for direct disbursement to HEA designated higher education institutions. However, as autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of this funding is a matter for the individual institution. As is clear from the actions already taken in the cost of living...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I meet frequently with students both through regular engagements with the USI and on visits around the country and I know the pressures they face, particularly in relation to securing affordable accommodation. As part of Budget 2023, my colleague the Minister for Finance has introduced a new Rent Tax Credit for people who pay for private rented accommodation. I have spoken to Minister...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I have been consistent in my position that we need to develop our student support system over time to ensure that it supports more flexible forms of learning. At present, the student grant scheme is targeted at full-time students in approved institutions. Courses that are part-time, less than two years in duration or leading to a special purpose or minor award, rather than a major award,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: As part of Budget 2023, in recognition of the cost of living financial challenges facing full time third level students funded through my Department, I have secured a significant cost of living package for third level students including a once-off €1,000 state financial support towards the undergraduate student contribution fee for higher education students eligible for my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department officials and I have engaged and continue to engage on an ongoing basis with the Minister and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the wider higher education sector and relevant stakeholders on student accommodation issues including within the context of the advancement of the Government's Housing for All policy. Accommodation shortages in the private rental...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: The Deputy may be aware that I have made several changes to income thresholds, both in Budget 2022 and 2023. For the academic year 2022/23, I increased the income threshold to qualify for the standard rate of student grant by €1,000. As part of Budget 2023, I have secured a significant cost of living package for third level students including a once-off €1,000 state...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118, 596 and 598 together. As is clear from the actions already taken in the cost of living measures outlined in Budget 2023, my Department is monitoring the issue of stipends and the views expressed by students and other stakeholders, in the context of the resources available and the competing needs to which they can be allocated. With that in view, as an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: The duration, commencement dates and other terms of any accommodation arrangement should be set out in the license agreement signed at the beginning of the academic year. Students facing issues should, in the first instance, engage with their accommodation provider to see if an arrangement can be reached. If this is not possible, under the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I have not been made aware of any plans to develop a campus on the north side of Cork city. However, my Department is willing to work collaboratively with higher education institutions on the development of capital projects in line with their established masterplans. My Department is currently supporting a number of key ongoing major capital projects in Cork city, including a new Learning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121, 601 and 612 together. The information requested is not available. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is responsible for collecting, analysing and disseminating student and graduate enrolment data from higher education institutions and the HEA does not collect data for PhD completion rates. The Department has not conducted research on the reason behind...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department officials and I have engaged and continue to engage on an ongoing basis with the Minister and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the wider higher education sector and relevant stakeholders on student accommodation issues including within the context of the advancement of the Government's Housing for All policy. I have also engaged over the course of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (18 Oct 2022)

Simon Harris: Social Care Programmes are provided across the tertiary system on a full and part time basis in both publicly funded institutes and by two private providers. CORU is an independent Regulator. The Department of Health have advised my Department that to join the register existing professionals and current students will either need to: 1. have undertaken an approved education programme, or 2....