Results 8,661-8,680 of 46,267 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ukrainian War (10 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 337, 338, 339 and 341 together. I aware of this group  of Irish students, and a small number of others, who were studying Medicine and Dentistry in Ukraine whose studies have been disrupted as a result of the invasion.  I am working closely with the higher education sector to see what can be done to support them and facilitate their studies. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: Apprenticeships are training whilst in employment. The system operates on the basis of an apprentice being hired as an employee by an employer. The employer can be located anywhere in the country. The particular course in this case, carpentry and joinery, is a craft apprenticeship programme. These courses take place over seven phases, with alternating on- and off-the-job training. The latter...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ukrainian War (10 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will appreciate, the situation in Ukraine has developed very rapidly over the past fortnight and events are continuing to unfold on a daily basis. In this uncertain environment, officials of my Department are continuing to gather as much information as possible in order to formulate recommendations for appropriate policy responses across a range of areas. This would...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (9 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: The funding allocated to my Department, as set down in the annual Estimates, is used to meet costs associated with the provision of further and higher education, labour market initiatives including skills, and Irish research and development. The allocation is provided both directly and through my Department’s aegis bodies to fund: 1. the salaries and pensions of public sector workers...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I hear clearly what the Deputy is saying in regard to Ballyhaunis and the importance of that project for County Mayo. It certainly is the case that these funding calls are open to all ETBs. More than that, I expect all ETBs to come forward with projects. I want to be able to fund €430 million of capital expenditure across further and higher education between now and 2024, 45% of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I certainly will take an interest in Ballyhaunis and would be delighted to visit the town with Deputy Calleary. Between the work we are doing in terms of the ETBs, capital funding and the Atlantic Technological University coming into being at the start of April, it is an exciting time for further and higher education in the north west, including Mayo. I look forward to working with the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his question. I acknowledge that HECA has played a very constructive role in its engagement with my Department since its foundation, particularly during the Covid pandemic. Representatives of the association sat on the Covid steering committee and there has been no difference between publicly-funded and privately-funded institutions in terms of the public health-led...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I assure the Deputy that I hold HECA in high esteem. Its representatives are very good to engage with, which we do on a whole range of issues. I have had a number of meetings with them and will continue to engage. In order to take this forward, perhaps the Deputy and-or HECA would formally communicate with my Department and me on the matter. In that way, we will be able to come back to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Gould for the question. I should first say that my Department allocates specific funding for research through Science Foundation Ireland, SFI, the Irish Research Council, IRC, and the Higher Education Authority, HEA. In 2021, SFI and the IRC spent €257 million on targeted research funding. Higher education institutions also fund research from...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy and acknowledge his passion in this area. Just to be really clear, I see huge benefit in citizen science. The Deputy will also appreciate and would think it appropriate that when it comes to deciding scientific and research projects to be funded, it is important that there are criteria that are independent of me. That is the way we have funded science and research in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: It sounds like a very interesting concept that the Deputy has. The SFI Discover programme is genuinely the route where I would suggest citizen science opportunities may exist for community groups. In the Deputy's own county of Cork for example there is a project being funded by SFI Discover called Rebel Yeast. It is an immersive citizen science project where volunteer scientists are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: Under the national development plan published last October, the Government has committed to a significant and much needed step-up in investment in further education and training, FET, infrastructure, including the realisation of what we call FET Colleges of the Future and expansion of apprenticeship delivery. In the context of this commitment, I was very pleased to announce in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Education and Training Provision (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: There were a couple of questions from the Deputy. He can speak about what the document is not referencing but I want to state in this House that it should not be taken in any way, shape or form as my view, the Department's view or the Government's view on the importance of the LTI programmes across the country and the role they have to play. I suggest to the Deputy that the most appropriate...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Education and Training Provision (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I am aware of it. I have not met them and I am not sure if they are looking to meet me. I would be delighted to meet them and am more than happy to set that up with the Deputy. As the Deputy rightly says, I will ensure that policy comes from both the bottom up and top down, for want of a better phrase. I will ensure that is reflected in my engagement with SOLAS, the ETBs and my...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Ó Murchú for the question. The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 aims to ensure the apprenticeship system will contribute to meeting Ireland's skills and human capital requirements by delivering on a target of 10,000 apprenticeship registrations per annum by 2025. Among the 62 apprenticeships currently available at levels 5 to 10 of the national framework of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: There are two specific answers. The expert group on future skills needs falls under the remit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and SOLAS is an agency of my Department that looks at labour bulletins and where skills shortages exist and which has a responsibility for meeting those skills shortages. I will take those two specific issues because we have figures for them....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I might need an hour and a half to reply to all of that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: The DkIT cross-party Oireachtas Members meeting must happen and I put it on the record of the House that it will get under way quickly. The transcript will act as an aide-memoireon that. On the question of students coming from Ukraine and my Department's responsibility in that regard, the Deputy raises an important point. My Department's responsibilities will largely arise in four areas....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputies Flaherty and Gould. In relation to rural and provincial Ireland, I am pleased we have €430 million in capital funding to spend on further and higher education. From memory, 45% of that will go to further education. I was talking to Longford-Westmeath ETB yesterday. Capital calls are open for each ETB to come forward with projects. There is a short deadline. It is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Mar 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for raising the issue of Ballyhaunis. I will ask my officials to engage with SOLAS regarding it. A competitive call is under way now and, from memory, applications are due in by the first week of April. It will be up to the local ETBs to prioritise the projects they wish to see funded in the first competitive capital call. I will ensure that my officials and...