Results 8,861-8,880 of 46,267 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Sustainable Development Goals (10 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: A renewed focus is currently being given to progress Ireland’s commitment to Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Substantial progress has been achieved in recent months in respect of reviewing Ireland’s implementation of Agenda 2030 and identifying key priorities and actions for inclusion in the next National Implementation Plan. It is intended that the draft Plan will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Electric Vehicles (10 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: can confirm to the Deputy that my Department commenced moving headquarters into existing State owned office space in September 2021. In the past week the Office of Public Works assigned 10 car parking spaces to my Department based on square footage and occupancy rates. Of these 10 spaces, none are currently equipped with electric vehicle charging points.

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

Simon Harris: To respond to Deputy Durkan, the short answer is "Yes". I want to work with the tourism and hospitality sector. We have already shown that when we worked with the Irish Hotels Federation to put in place a range of upskilling and reskilling programmes. Its members wanted to use the difficult times of the Covid restrictions when they were not able to open their premises to provide their...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Grant Payments (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: I am always happy to be accountable and I am very well aware of my role in this House. I am also conscious that the Deputy's supplementary contribution is out of order but, to be helpful, I am happy to answer. The Freedom of Information Act, as the Deputy will be well aware, should not in any way be open to political interference in the form of any Government Minister deciding what should...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: I must admit, I am aware of it only because the Deputy has kindly brought it to my attention, for which I thank him. I have asked my officials to provide me with a viewpoint on it in the context of our overall work on the importance of mathematics and of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, in general and the needs of our students, our economy and our society. I will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: I will come back to the Deputy on that. I thank him for bringing it to my attention. The Deputy highlights an extremely important issue. We talk about how to increase the number of STEM graduates. That is important and we have made considerable progress on it. We often talk about that just in the context of the student, which is important, but we do not often talk about it in the...

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

Simon Harris: The challenge to deliver suitably qualified graduates to meet the demands of the public and private sectors is a fundamental focus for my Department. It needs to be and is a fundamental focus for the Government and this House, I am quite sure, across the entire skills system, including tertiary. I often say to students when I meet leaving certificate classes that everybody in the Dáil...

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

Simon Harris: I thank Deputies Brendan Smith and Niamh Smyth for making the case very forcefully for Cavan Institute. I genuinely enjoyed my visit to Cavan Institute and was extremely impressed by what I saw. That followed on from a virtual meeting we had with Cavan Institute. I know that both Deputies understand that I am taking a very personal and active interest in this project. Commitments were...

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

Simon Harris: As a Fine Gael Minister, I feel in a very difficult position almost having to referee between the levels of enthusiasm for the project from both Fianna Fáil Deputies, Deputy Brendan Smith and Deputy Niamh Smyth. I notice the very significant links they have with the project. In the interests of keeping the coalition together I should mention my colleagues the Minister, Deputy...

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

Simon Harris: It is tough being the referee.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Grant Payments (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: Of course, my Department does not refuse people the SUSI grant; my Department sets the criteria under which people may apply, as is the case with any Government grant. I acknowledge the very serious issue that the Deputy and his office have consistently highlighted in engagements with my office on the need to reform and overhaul the SUSI grant system. I accept that the system is rigid. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Grant Payments (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is talking about a specific case, as is his right. I do not have the information available to me on a case. Obviously, appeal mechanisms are available. A system that does not understand the needs is a very significant concern. I acknowledge that and I am happy to engage with the Deputy on this specific case. This is a scheme based on income thresholds. It is there to support...

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

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Smith for the question. The national development plan commits to a step up in investment in further education and training infrastructure. As the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, outlined, under plans being developed by my Department it is projected that expenditure will increase from less than €20 million in capital funding for further education and training in 2020...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Costs (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: I ran out of time when referring to student accommodation. The Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, and I, along with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, are working intensively to make sure that our technological universities can borrow for the very first time and start to build student accommodation. In Deputy Stanton's part of the world,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Costs (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: Absolutely. I had started to answer the question, and I believe I have to conclude on it. I acknowledge the work the Minister of State is leading in this area. We are now trying to make sure that the range of supports available in higher education begin to transition in an appropriate way that works for further education and for community education. I will give a couple of quick examples....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Nursing Education (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Aindrias Moynihan for this important and timely question. The Government has increased the number of places in higher education by approximately 6,000 over the past two years. Obviously, that is a global figure. I would also make the point, which might be somewhat reassuring or informative to leaving certificate students this year, that, as of the CAO deadline last week, the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Nursing Education (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: With regard to Macroom and Mallow and those courses specifically, I will check with SOLAS and Department regarding the capacity to do more this year. Generally, when it comes to further education and training we tend to be in the space of being demand led, and where there is a local demand we try to provide those additional places at the further education and training levels. I will revert...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Nursing Education (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: Those extra places were over and above. While they may not have been ring-fenced for people in further education and training, they certainly did not take away from any existing places. I want to make the point that these were newly created places amounting to 335 additional nursing and midwifery places over 2020 and 2021. That figure will grow further. I cannot give the Deputy a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: My maths skills are not great but we charge €3,000, which I see as too high. In the North, where Sinn Féin is in government, it is charging €5,434. Shame on the party.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: Shame.