Results 9,561-9,580 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Nursing Education (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department is actively engaging with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) about the demand for higher education places in 2021 and will take action as necessary to ensure the availability of a full range of further and higher education options for applicants in 2021 and beyond. However the HEIs are autonomous bodies under the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Acts...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The number of staff currently employed in my Department is 157 full-time equivalent staff and the 2021 payroll allocation for my Department’s staff is €12,383,000*. * Includes overtime

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department's communications team has four staff, and is responsible for communicating the work of the Department to the citizen. My Department does not employ firms or staff to deal with public relations.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (11 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I am comitted to implementation of the commitmets set out in New Decade New Approach, including that the Government is willing in principle to contribute to capital investment to support expanded provision at Ulster University Magee Campus, alongside the commitment made as part of the agreement by the UK Government. My Department is working closely with the Department of Taoiseach and in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (6 May 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department does not have a role in these arrangements or the placement of students enrolled on these courses. During the course of the programme, students are required to undertake placement in different services, including the National Educational Psychological Service and the Health Service Executive. The placement arrangements and conditions are a matter between the higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Protected Disclosures (6 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 143 together. Higher education institutions are independent corporate entities established under statute and on that basis are autonomous with regard to their human resource management function. However, all public sector organisations are required to comply with employment legislation and the provisions set out in the Protected Disclosures Act...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (6 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The current quota for EU entrants (including Irish entrants) to medicine stands at 708, divided between undergraduate entry (468) and graduate entry (240). This quota was established as a recommendation of the Report of the Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training, also known as the Fottrell Report. Irish students typically comprise 90% of EU entrants into medicine courses.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (6 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the student's access route including previous education. Entry to medicine in Irish HEIs is provided through both undergraduate and graduate entry routes. Under the Department's Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer pays tuition fees on behalf of eligible first time undergraduate students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (6 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I am aware of the high number of CAO applications this year, and officials from my Department are engaging regularly with representatives from the higher education sector in relation to the 2021/22 academic year and demand for places. The CAO process applications for undergraduate courses on behalf of the Higher Education Institutions. Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs who then...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (5 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act 2019 was signed into law on 23rd July 2019. While many of the provisions of the Act have been commenced, a number of Sections have yet to be. These are Sections 9, 14, 23, 25 to 33, and 38. A considerable amount of preparatory work is required to facilitate the full implementation of the remaining Sections...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (5 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous and manage their own academic affairs including admissions procedures. The CAO process applications for undergraduate courses on behalf of the HEIs. Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. Applications for free fees are assessed by higher education institutions. Under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Investigations (5 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Civil servants recruited to my Department are subject to the Civil Service Code of Standards & Behaviour which outlines that in the course of their duties honesty, impartiality and integrity must be paramount. On commencing duty officials are presented with a suite of documents relating to their employment one of which is an I.C.T. Usage Policy which outlines the conditions they...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (5 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Section 34 of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act2019 was commenced on 8thNovember 2019. Section 34 of this Act amends Section 80 of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012, which authorises the charging of fees for certain services provided by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the national agency...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (5 May 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 451 and 452 together. In line with the Universities Act, 1997, third-level institutions have autonomy in relation to human resource policies, subject to compliance with Government policy in respect of employment numbers and pay policy. Employers in the higher education sector are also required to operate in accordance with the provisions of national...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Data (5 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The following table shows the total number of learner enrolments on level 5 pre-nursing courses from 2016-2020. Year Number of enrolments on level 5 pre-nursing courses 2020 3,699 2019 3,789 2018 3,911 2017 4,033 2016 3,582

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Data (5 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is not available to my Department. The basis on which a student is admitted to a course is not currently recorded on the HEA’s Student Records System (SRS) which is my Department’s primary source of student enrolment data. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous with regard to their academic affairs, including in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Sign Language (5 May 2021)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous with regard to their academic affairs, including in relation to the degree programmes and modules they offer. It is my understanding that a number of HEIs currently offer courses or modules involving Irish Sign Language (ISL). Trinity College Dublin, through its Centre for Deaf Studies offers a number of courses that allow students to learn or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Costs (5 May 2021)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy, since the formation of my department, is not all readily available and is being collated by officials in my Department. A response will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Erasmus+ Programme (29 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: As part of an Erasmus+ mobility period, students are provided with an ‘individual support’ grant. This grant is a contribution towards their travel and living costs for the duration of their period abroad.   If, due to the pandemic, a student was forced to cancel their mobility and incurred expenses such as non-refundable flight costs, they may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (29 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: The University of Limerick is an autonomous institution within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997. Under this legislation UL is independent and is entitled to regulate its own academic affairs and administrative processes, including in relation to graduations. It is not within my remit to intervene in these matters. Level 5 measures designate higher and further education as...