Results 8,441-8,460 of 45,495 for speaker:Simon Harris

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

Simon Harris: I expressed a view to Carlow College principals in August that in order to best position itself for engagement with any future technological university (TU) emerging in the region, the College should consider undertaking a further analysis of its educational provision, resources and student population that could form the basis for an engagement with the TU leadership post-establishment. I...

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

Simon Harris: The new National Development Plan (NDP) provides for a step up in capital funding for the further education and training (FET) sector which will enable a transition to a more ambitious and strategic approach to the development of FET infrastructure. Significant planning work and capacity development is now required to underpin this major programme of FET investment. My Department is working...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 88 together. Cavan ETB has identified the development of the site of the former Army Barracks in Cavan as an opportunity to centralise further education and training provision and eliminate the need for various rented accommodation arrangements around Cavan town. To address immediate needs, plans were advanced by the ETB for interim temporary...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 and 86 together. Education and training relevant to skills needs in the retrofitting and construction sector is delivered across the full remit of Further and Higher Education (through apprenticeship; non-apprenticeship further education and training (FET) and Higher Education (HE)) and through mainstream education and training as well as through...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84, 93 and 94 together. The development and progression of technological universities (TUs) is an established policy objective of Government in the context of overarching national strategy on higher education landscape restructuring and this is underscored in the commitment in the current Programme for Government. At a time when the world is facing major...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 92 together. My Department’s agencies, the Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland, currently have initiatives in place to bring researchers closer to the work of the Oireachtas and to connect elected representatives with the world leading research that is happening in Ireland. In July 2018 the Irish Research Council...

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

Simon Harris: On 28 October, I announced that I was granting TU designation to the CUA consortium of GMIT, IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT. In this context, expressions of interest are being sought by my Department in a public process launched last week for key posts on the TU’s first governing body including that of chairperson. An open public process has also been launched by the applicant institutes...

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

Simon Harris: In Budget 2022, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science received the following additional allocations for further and higher education sectors: 1) Further education and training allocations increased from 2021 allocations by 6% to €661 million 2) Higher education allocations increased by 2021 allocations by 8% to €2,069 million For...

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 funding of...

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

Simon Harris: The new draft PEACE PLUS programme, which has been approved by the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive through the North-South Ministerial Council, includes for the first time a provision for the delivery of skills initiatives on a cross-border basis. While final approval is awaited must be secured from the Commission, a provision of €50m has been set aside. Once...

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

Simon Harris: The growth of the renewable energy sector is critical to meeting our Climate Action targets and the Government are committed to ensuring that the education and training system is appropriately positioned to support the growth and the development of the skills required to support the sector into the future. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) Skills for the Zero Carbon Economy...

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

Simon Harris: My Department's Statement of Strategy, which I published on 8 March last, contains a commitment to put in place a sustainable funding model for the higher education. This is essential in ensuring that our higher education institutions can effectively meet high standards of quality and performance, and achieve critical outcomes for our economy and society. The report referred to in the...

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

Simon Harris: Inclusion is one of the core strategic goals for my Department. My ambition is to ensure that we provide supports and opportunities for learning to all. This means recognising the needs of vulnerable learners, the most marginalised and those with special and additional needs. HEA Student Record System (SRS) data shows that in 2019/20, 10% of new entrants came from DEIS Schools. There...

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

Simon Harris: A clear objective of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 is that there will be a single apprenticeship system underpinned by a clear governance framework with strong stakeholder input. From consultation with stakeholders, the differences between craft and consortia-led apprenticeships in terms of oversight, delivery and funding has led to a lack of clarity for employers and...

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

Simon Harris: Ireland has an advanced system of skills provision across Further and Higher Education, lifelong learning and human capital development. Skills provision is underpinned by the framework of the National Skills Strategy, which is agile and responsive to changes in the world of work in order to address evolving skills needs.  This system is designed to ensure a pipeline of suitably...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (30 Nov 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. These measures have resulted in waiting lists for...

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

Simon Harris: For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an...

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

Simon Harris: Supporting the Department of Health with their health workforce planning work, and ensuring an appropriate pipeline of qualified healthcare workers within Ireland, is a major priority for my Department. The Student Grant Scheme (SUSI) is the principal financial support provided to students, and the Programme for Government contains commitments to review SUSI eligibility criteria,...

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

Simon Harris: I am very conscious of the many challenges faced by students this year, including financial worries. As part of Budget 2022, I have secured an additional €15m to enhance the existing financial supports under the Student Grant Scheme to help deal with the increased costs of attending college. For the academic year 2022/23 this will mean:- - An increase to all student grant...

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...