Results 9,461-9,480 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 146 together. The purpose of the student Grant Scheme is to provide additional assistance where parental income is below a certain threshold, or in the case of independent mature students, where the level of income of the student and his or her spouse warrants additional assistance by way of a grant. The decision on eligibility for student grant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Our higher education institutions have a duty of care to their students and staff, and a responsibility to foster a campus culture that is clear in the condemnation of unwanted and unacceptable behaviours, which act as barriers to their safety and their active participation in college life. In April 2019 the Framework for Consent in Higher Education Institutions: “Safe,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 137 together. The Government has committed to a significant increase in onsite attendance in the tertiary education sector in the next academic year. All parties are agreed that maximizing onsite provision for the next academic year is the shared and most powerful objective to meet the needs of our students and learners and the sector. The Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107, 127, 131 and 143 together. The Government has committed to a significant increase in onsite attendance in the tertiary education sector in the next academic year.The Department has established a Working Group to achieve this commitment. This group is comprised of all the key stakeholders and it has begun to develop a plan for returning to significant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Universities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous and determine their own procedures for admission. The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on their behalf. Decisions on admissions are made by the higher education institutions who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. Therefore neither I nor my Department have a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that my Department recently published its Statement of Strategy 2021-2023. The Inclusion goal is one of the six strategic goals in the strategy for the coming period. In this regard, one of my priorities is to support learning for all in the tertiary education system and to develop and grow its supports for vulnerable learners, learners with disabilities,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government contains commitments to, among other things, review SUSI eligibility criteria, adjacency rates and postgraduate grant supports. On foot of these commitments I gave approval to commence a review of the Student Grant Scheme. A Steering Committee has been established to provide direction for the external consultants undertaking the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 306 together. I received a joint application from Athlone and Limerick ITs seeking the making of an order under section 36 of the Technological Universities Act 2018 establishing a new TU and dissolving both Institutes on 20 November 2020. Upon receipt of the application I had a prescribed role under section 31(1) of the Act to direct the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Under the statutory framework detailed in the Technological Universities Act 2018, it is a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant Institutes of Technology participating in a TU development consortium to progress their plans and, when ready, to make an application to the Minister seeking the making of an order establishing a TU. On 30 April 2021 I received such an application...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Approval to proceed with the LIT Coonagh project was provided in 2018. The development of the facility includes two stages of works - an enabling works package and the fit-out works of the former retail development on the site. The enabling works package reached substantial completion in September 2020. Following extensive engagement between the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and LIT,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119, 120 and 125 together. The establishment of technological universities is an important part of the Government’s higher education and regional development policy as underscored in the Programme for Government 2020. Under the statutory framework detailed in the Technological Universities Act 2018, it is a matter, in the first instance, for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: SUSI opened its application process for the 2021/22 academic year on March 31 and to date has received over 40,000 applications. This year’s scheme includes enhanced supports for postgraduate students which were announced in Budget 2021. I also secured an additional €20m in Budget 2021 to meet anticipated demands on the scheme as a consequence of the Covid pandemic. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The current National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education covers the period from 2015 to 2021. One of the five priority goals under the plan is “to assess the impact of current initiatives to support equity of access to higher education”. In this regard, a number of reviews have been undertaken of policy interventions including the Student Assistance Fund; the Fund...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I was pleased to see the Dundalk Institute of Technology’s recent publication of its vision to become a campus of a multi-campus regional TU that is dynamic, accessible and student-centred. This publication marks meaningful progress on the proposed trajectory towards achieving technological university status. The vision piece will enable staff, students and wider stakeholders to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department’s Statement of Strategy articulates our commitment to inclusion in education - providing supports and opportunities for learning to all, recognising the needs of vulnerable learners and the most marginalised, and assisting people in access to and progression through higher and further education and training, to grow prosperity across communities and build social cohesion....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: We are all well aware of the profound impact that Covid-19 has had globally over the past year. The onset of the pandemic in 2020 presented unique challenges across the Higher Education, Further Education and research sectors. Early on, a review was conducted by my Department in consultation with the Higher Education Authority and Institutes, Further Education and Training stakeholders to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 129, 307 and 327 together. The expansion of higher education has been a key enabling factor in the growth of the Irish economy, and the availability and quality of graduates is essential if we are to maintain our attractiveness as a location for investment and grow our reputation. My Department has a number of key strategies in place at all levels to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, Family Income Supplement (also known as the Working Family Payment) is treated as an income disregard and is therefore not included in the calculation of reckonable income. Furthermore, unlike other social protection payments which are paid to individuals, the Working Family Payment is a payment deemed to be paid to a family. In recognition of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for SUSI to determine. In assessing an application for the 2021/22 academic year, SUSI will have regard to the following qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant: 1. The student must qualify for the standard rate of grant; 2. Total reckonable income, after income disregards and Child Dependant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (20 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government contains commitments to, among other things review SUSI eligibility criteria. On foot of these commitments I gave approval to commence a review of the Student Grant Scheme. The review, which commenced earlier this year, will examine eligibility criteria such as: income thresholds; postgraduate supports; grant values and adjacency...