Results 9,661-9,680 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Responses to Brexit in Further and Higher Education: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (26 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: The issue of funding is an important one on which the Taoiseach and I are engaging intensively. We had the Cassells report in the previous Oireachtas. In an interesting decision, an all-party Oireachtas committee decided there was a need for another report. That work is now under way with input from the European Commission. It is due to land in the next quarter, and what I can tell the...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Responses to Brexit in Further and Higher Education: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (26 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: Yes, I agree.

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Responses to Brexit in Further and Higher Education: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (26 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: On Horizon 2020, the precursor to Horizon Europe, we did very well in the end. We have drawn down more than €1 billion, but we are ambitious to do even more. That is even more essential now because science, research and innovation is going to be our future economic and societal well-being. We have seen that during the pandemic. We see it in all the international debate going on...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Responses to Brexit in Further and Higher Education: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (26 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: Agreed.

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Responses to Brexit in Further and Higher Education: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (26 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: I think the Senator was instrumental in my being invited here. I think he had a Commencement Matter a few months ago on professional qualifications and mutual recognition. I went into it in my opening statement but a significant amount of progress has been made due to very pragmatic, intensive and painstaking engagement by many regulators - probably more than 40 - to work our way through...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Responses to Brexit in Further and Higher Education: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (26 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: I have to get out of that bad old habit of over-talking. I tend to do that at the end of every meeting. I get too relaxed and start to say too much. We have a lot of work to do with regard to Magee. The British and Irish Governments have made a commitment in respect of Magee. I and my officials have had meetings regarding Magee. We have met with people in Magee and Ulster University and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (22 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: Ireland is designated as a programme country under the Erasmus+ programme. As a programme country, Ireland is eligible to participate in all actions of the programme and has benefitted significantly from our participation.   The policy of my Department, as national authority for the programme, has always been to strongly encourage participation in Erasmus+ . The Department as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (22 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: The decision to support Erasmus+ participants with mandatory hotel quarantine was taken in the specific context of the Erasmus programme, for which my Department is the national authority. Ireland is designated as a programme country under the Erasmus+ programme. As part of the programme, each programme country must nominate a national authority to monitor and supervise the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (22 Apr 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 Institutions (22 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: The position is that universities are autonomous bodies within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, and the management of their academic affairs, including the delivery of courses are matters for the individual institutions. The institutions' governance and their day-to-day management are matters for which the Governing Bodies and the management of the relevant institutions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Transport Policy (22 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has a number of initiatives in place to encourage and facilitate employees to use active travel to commute to work. Such initiatives include: Cycle-to-work scheme: The Cycle-to-work scheme (generally known as the Bike to Work Scheme) is a tax incentive scheme to encourage staff to cycle to work and is in operation in my Department since 2009....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Services (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1261, 1262 and 1351 together. The support and wellbeing of our students is one of my priorities. Student services and associated activities are an integral part of the whole student experience at third level, and these services generally fall under a number of headings, particularly ‘Welfare and Guidance’ which includes counselling...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: For 2020/21 The normal CAO offer process ended in October 2020, therefore I take it the Deputy is referring to: - first time undergraduate students who sat Leaving Certificate Examinations in November 2020; - having started a course of higher education study in 2020 based on the calculated grades from Leaving Certificate 2020, and - the student subsequently receives an uplifted deferred...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (21 Apr 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. €18 million has been provided in Budget 2021 to deliver new undergraduate student places from September 2021 which will address demographic growth...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The statutory based Student Grant Scheme and Regulations are reviewed annually by the Department, following...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) scheme, which offers reduced points places to school leavers who as a result of having a disability have experienced additional educational challenges in second level education, is operated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) www.iua.ie. The IUA set the policy criteria for the scheme. Applications to the scheme are submitted to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students, financial assistance will be provided in academic year 20/21 to all students who avail of SUSI grants and to all EU full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students attending publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state. The scheme will ensure students; - Who avail of the SUSI grant will receive...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1268 and 1269 together. In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students, financial assistance will be provided in academic year 20/21 to all students who avail of SUSI grants and to all EU full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students attending publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state. The scheme will ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Examinations (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: It has been a significant priority for me and my Department, in the context of the shift to online teaching and learning that has arisen from the public health restrictions, to provide support to students to facilitate connectivity and to examine options designed to seek to minimise the extent to which connectivity challenges act as a barrier to full participation in higher and further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Language Schools (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1271, 1291, 1303, 1312, 1323, 1324, 1350 and 1355 together. English language education (ELE) in Ireland is a broad and diverse sector with the vast majority of activity undertaken by private sector providers. I am aware of the important contribution made by this sector and of the challenges that are being encountered given the substantial impact that the...