Results 8,421-8,440 of 45,495 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Examinations (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising an important and timely question. Higher education and research and further education and training, including apprenticeship have been confirmed and reconfirmed by the Government as an essential service in the course of the pandemic. They continue, therefore, to take place on-site, consistent with the safe return plan published by my Department last June and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Examinations (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Respectfully, the last time I took Oral Questions in the House the Deputy was asking me to increase on-site attendance and I shared that view with her. I said to her then what I will say now, albeit in a different context. Everything must be done in the context of public health and the framework we have agreed with all stakeholders, including students, their union and, crucially, the Chief...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Examinations (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: Of course I will look at such matters continually but I will not defy public health advice approach, no matter which way it goes. I will not decide on the floor of Dáil Éireann that I will move exams online because I do not control the decision and institutions are autonomous. Additionally, such a decision is not in our space, and as politicians and public representatives our role...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will know, the SUSI scheme is demand led. I can set the criteria and I can improve the criteria, but ultimately it is a demand-led scheme. Money can only be drawn down from that scheme where applicants qualify for that scheme. As of 21 November, just a few days ago, SUSI had received almost 97,000 applications. Almost 94,000 of them have been assessed of which 74,600 have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Deputy said students need clarity on it; I believe students have clarity on it. Tomorrow I will meet all student union presidents throughout the country in a meeting convened by the Union of Students in Ireland, USI. We regularly and I personally engage with student unions. I take the point about the millions. It is peculiar for the Deputy to suggest that because we are providing such...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I do not think we are allowed to repeat the title of the demonstration in this House.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: The Deputy did not and I am well aware of it. Students being able to demonstrate in a socially distanced and Covid-appropriate way is an important part of students highlighting issues of concern to them. I thank the Deputy for her question. I have engaged closely with student representatives on issues concerning the costs of higher education. USI will concur on that point. We have...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I point out that in the time I have been in this role, we have seen four changes to the SUSI student grant scheme. We have seen the first increase in the postgraduate SUSI grant. We have seen the first general rise in the student support scheme that the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, and I introduced in the budget. We have seen the threshold increase so that more families qualify...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for the question. Obviously, the support and well-being of students are a major priority for me and my Department. They are a major priority for all Members of the House and we have endeavoured to reflect that in the significant steps to increase funding for this purpose. Like the Deputy, I am very conscious of the pressures on students, including those arising from...

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

Simon Harris: I have engaged closely with student representatives on issues concerning the costs of higher education for students. It is important to be aware of the support available for students including state funding of the registration fee for an estimated 45% of eligible free fees students. In fact my Department will spend over €400 million on student supports in 2021 including the...

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

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, as part of Budget 2022, I announced the first major changes to Student Grant Scheme rates and eligibility in over a decade. These changes will take effect in the next academic year. These changes have allowed me to make early progress in addressing what I expect will be some of the themes emerging from the Review of the Student Grant Scheme. This includes ensuring...

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

Simon Harris: One of the five overarching objectives of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 is "Apprenticeship for All" by ensuring that the profile of the apprenticeship population will more closely reflect the profile of the general population. The Action Plan contains a number of key deliverable designed to secure significantly greater diversity by:- - including the voice of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cross-Border Co-operation (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: I am very committed to the development of stronger North-South links across the third level education and research sector, including in particular in relation to Further Education and Training and this continues to be a major focus for my Department under its Statement of Strategy. There is good co-operation which currently exists between Education and Training Boards, and the Regional...

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

Simon Harris: The Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme was established to ensure that apprenticeship plays a key part in supporting economic recovery following COVID-19. It was introduced in March 2020 and has supported a significant recovery of apprentice registrations in throughout the COVID-19 period, enabling registrations so far this year to exceed registrations for 2019. There have been 6,471...

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

Simon Harris: The principal support provided to students is the Student Grant Scheme operated by SUSI. Under the scheme, grant assistance is awarded 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. This statutory scheme is open to people have refugee,...

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

Simon Harris: The support 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, I secured a comprehensive package of financial supports from Government for the higher education and further education and training sectors to mitigate the impact of Covid. This package included...

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

Simon Harris: The Speak Out tool, launched last month, is an online anonymous reporting tool for incidents of Bullying, Harassment, Discrimination, Assault, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Assault, and is being led by the Psychological Counsellors in Higher Education Ireland group, with funding provided by my Department. Speak Out allows staff and students to report harassment across all equality grounds,...

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

Simon Harris: One of the five key objectives set out in the Apprenticeship Action Plan is delivering the highest quality of work-based learning, supporting and demonstrating innovation to empower apprentices and employers to meet current and emerging skill needs. This objective will inform analysis regarding the appropriate duration for the completion of any apprenticeship training. ...

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

Simon Harris: Ireland has a developed national skills system across further and higher education and apprenticeship, lifelong learning and human capital development, under the framework of the National Skills Strategy, and underpinned by strong partnership with key stakeholders. It is firmly focused on responding in an agile and flexible way to priority skill needs, and to changes in the world of work...

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

Simon Harris: I have engaged closely with student representatives on issues concerning the costs of higher education for students. It is important to be aware of the support available for students including state funding of the registration fee for an estimated 45% of students. In fact my Department will spend over €400 million on student supports in 2021 including the Student Grant scheme which...