Results 9,681-9,700 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: Ireland is committed to the principle of Open Access to publicly funded research. Open Access enables the free flow of information across national and international research communities, supports research-enabled teaching and learning, citizen science and open innovation, and fosters greater transparency, accountability, and public awareness of research results. As stated in the 2019 National...

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

Simon Harris: Applications for free fees are assessed by higher education institutions. Under the Free Fees Initiative the Exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees of eligible students pursuing an approved full-time undergraduate course of study in an approved institution in the State. Eligible students must meet the terms of the scheme, including the nationality and residency clauses. Where...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1275, 1276, 1277 and 1327 together. As the Deputy is aware the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) Working Group was established in March 2017. The key objective of this group was to develop a plan to develop a sustainable future for the Mayo Campus arising from concerns about the financial viability of the campus. The Governing Authority of GMIT in...

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

Simon Harris: The Student Grant Scheme, administered by SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), provides grant assistance 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 decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first...

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

Simon Harris: SFI funds 6 Centres for Research Training (CRTs) that are collectively hosted across a partner network of 10 research bodies. The CRTs aim to promote excellence in research and education and will train over 700 doctoral students in data and ICT skills; equipping them with transversal, cross-sectoral and discipline specific skills. The CRTs have been modelled on international best...

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

Simon Harris: Compliance with the GDPR and the Data Protection Act lies with the data controller or joint-data controllers; that being the Science Foundation of Ireland (SFI) Centre for Research Training and/or the University of Limerick. The University of Limerick has a responsibility for ensuring compliance with the Legislation. I understand that all SFI awardees are subject to compliance of GDPR...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1282 and 1283 together. It is a matter for applicant institutes of technology, as independent autonomous HEIs, that are seeking TU designation under the 2018 Act to decide the particular administrative processes and governance structures that most appropriately support their efforts to do so. The Department and the HEA have provided guidance to TU development...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: The data requested by the Deputy is outlined in the attached spreadsheets. SSHA

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

Simon Harris: I am aware that issues have arisen in relation to placement hours both for students of Social Care programmes and for placements more generally as the restrictions to combat the spread of Covid-19 have tightened. Following extensive engagement on this issue, the Irish Association of Social Care Educators (IASCE) has developed a framework for alternative arrangements for Social Care Work...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Regional Action Plan for Jobs (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: A network of nine Regional Skills Fora (RSF) was established in 2017 under the National Skills Strategy 2016-2025. Along with the National Skills Council (NSC), the Regional Skills Fora constitute the central skills structures for driving forward skills policies and responses which seek to be based on partnership, rooted in evidence, agile and effective. The Fora work to foster stronger...

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

Simon Harris: The data requested by the Deputy is not held by my Department nor the agencies under its remit. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are governed by the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technologies Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Within the meaning of these Acts, HEIs are autonomous with regard to management of their academic affairs. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Assistance Fund (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) provides financial support to full- and part-time students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending higher education. Under the Fund, financial support can be provided to assist students who are unable to meet costs associated with day-to-day participation in higher education, including a number of categories such as books and other class...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gender Recognition (21 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: I understand that most higher education institutions would have Gender Identity and Expression Policies in place, or are in development as part of their broader Gender Equality / Equality Diversity and Inclusion work. The development of these policies is a matter for the individual higher education institutions, as are the institutional practices which arise from such policies. It is...

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

Simon Harris: The Student Grant Scheme, administered by SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), provides grant assistance 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. Approved courses for the Student Grant Scheme are prescribed in the relevant...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1294, 1295 and 1296 together. Under the Department's Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the Exchequer pays tuition fees on behalf of eligible first time undergraduate students attending approved full-time undergraduate courses. In order to qualify for funding under the Department’s Free Fees Initiative, students must meet the criteria of the scheme including...

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

Simon Harris: The Minister for Education approves the limits on the intake into primary teaching programmes. The intakes for the B.Ed and PME primary ITE programmes are 1,000 and 200 respectively for the coming academic year. There is no such intake limit on post-primary teaching programmes. Historically, the Department of Education has endeavoured to manage the supply of trained primary teachers in an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (21 Apr 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. The number of places offered is a given course is a matter for the HEI in...

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

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is not held by my Department. 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. The...

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

Simon Harris: I have attached a spreadsheet showing Student/Academic Staff ratios (full-time/excluding research staff) for the academic year 2017/18. These are the latest published figures and I understand that the Higher Education Authority plan to publish the 2018/19 institutional profiles in the coming months. - Student/Academic Staff Ratio (Full-time/excl. Research Staff) -...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1302, 1340 and 1341 together. My department does not compile the information requested by the deputy. The provision of funding for Higher Education on an annual basis is part of overall expenditure management and budgetary policy. It is important to note that, in considering the total level of resource available to the sector, higher education institutions are...