Results 9,741-9,760 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Cases (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: The Minister is not aware of any threatened or extant litigation arising from the inclusion of social clauses in public procurement contracts in each of the years from 2017 to 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Reform (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: Preparatory work is on-going between my Department and the Higher Education Authority on the next National Access Plan (2022 -2026). A consultation phase has commenced, and a public call for submissions will be announced shortly. The aim to have a new plan published by the end of 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: In 2020 the HEA commissioned a study on the issues and challenges associated with first-time mature student participation in higher education and to make recommendations that will support increased participation from this group. Following a competitive tender process, Indecon Economic Consultants were appointed to carry out a study which included a comprehensive stakeholder consultation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take question Nos. 750 and 753 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: Under Articles 15(6) and (7) of the Student Grant Scheme 2020, a student must be moving from year to year within a course having successfully completed the previous year or be transferring from one course to another where the award for the subsequent course is of a higher level than the previous course. A grant will not be paid to a student for a repeat period of study on the same course, or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Correspondence (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: The USI Education for All Campaign covers a wide range of issues including public financing of higher education and student accommodation on which I as Minister and my Department are actively engaging with USI and relevant stakeholders in higher education. Throughout the last number of months my Department has been engaging with sectoral representatives to address the challenges faced by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is being sought and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: The main support available to assist postgraduate students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. In line with the Programme for Government commitment to address the gap in postgraduate grants, from September 2021 the postgraduate fee grant will increase from €2,000 to €3,500. This increase will allay some of the costs for postgraduate study and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: 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 Covid-19 outbreak has had on students, teachers and providers. As part of the response to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Services (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: The support and wellbeing of our students is one of my priorities, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the increased stress and pressure resulting from it. In 2020, I secured a comprehensive package of financial supports for the Higher Education and Further Education and Training sector to mitigate against the direct financial impact of Covid-19. This package included funding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Science Foundation Ireland (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: Science Foundation Ireland does not receive applications for PhD positions. The agency funds research grants, following international peer review, the budget for which often includes funding for PhD positions. SFI does not have sight of the number of applications made by candidates to Higher Education Institutions for PhD positions. SFI monitors the number of PhD students funded through SFI...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Communications (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: As my Department was established relatively recently, my officials are continuing to finalise arrangements for the operation of a variety of corporate and support functions, including though the progression of a shared service agreement with the Department of Education. The arrangements being put in place will ensure that a number of central corporate services, including for example resources...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Commencement of Legislation (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: There are currently no Acts falling under my Department which have been signed into law but have not yet commenced. However, under the Student Support Act 2011, sections 8(3) and 16(5) have not yet commenced.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Funding (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 766 and 767 together. My Department has engaged with a range of stakeholders with respect to the promotion of all-island research collaboration between higher education institutions. This also includes engagement with the Shared-Island Unit of the Department of the Taoiseach. I have received a proposal from the Irish Humanities Alliance with respect...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Brexit Issues (31 Mar 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. Student grant legislation was amended in 2020 to retain the status quo for students attending courses in the UK...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (31 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: Under the Department’s Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students. All students eligible for the scheme receive state support whereby the Exchequer pays the cost of tuition fees exclusive of the student contribution. The contribution applies annually to all FFI eligible studentsand the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Mar 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. My Department is monitoring developments in this regard very closely. From the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, significant work has been undertaken by a stakeholder group...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Communications (25 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: The details sought by the Deputy, in regard to dedicated email addresses for both my Department and in regard to the bodies under the aegis of my Department, are contained in the tables below. Contact E-Mail Addresses for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Minister_FHERIS@dfheris.gov.ie Contact E-Mail...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (25 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding as a block grant to the institutions. As higher education institutions are autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of the allocated funding, including any expenditure on the items queried by the Deputy,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Protected Disclosures (25 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: There have been a total of 16 applications for Protected Disclosures made between 2017 and 2020 and to date in 2021. This figure relates to Protected Disclosures that were disclosed to the Minister under Section 8 of the Protected Disclosures Act from workers in the Education sector. 12 applications were deemed to come under the ambit of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. No...