Results 9,861-9,880 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (3 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: I am conscious of the challenges faced by students regarding student accommodation this year due to both financial pressures, and the blended learning format of the 2020/21 academic year. The Deputy will be aware that the university sector has been actively engaging with students on the issue of accommodation refunds. As a result of the decision to minimise on-site teaching, all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Speech (3 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: The principle of academic freedom is a defining characteristic of high-quality higher education and research throughout the world. Irish universities are independent and autonomous statutory bodies established under the Universities Act, 1997 which guarantees the principle of academic freedom and puts in place detailed institutional level governance arrangements for the management, operation,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Broadband Plan (3 Mar 2021)

Simon Harris: The Department of Further and Higher Education Research Innovation and Science has not been directly engaged with National Broadband Ireland (NBI) but HEAnet, the Education sectors shared service network provider has attended several technical workshops with NBI over the past two years.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (25 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: Direct public expenditure on research, development and innovation is increasing and Government Budget Allocations on R&D (GBARD) amounted to €802m in 2019 (and an estimated €869.2m in 2020). This represents an increase of €83 million since 2016 and is the highest level of public expenditure on RDI since 2009.  While we have not yet restored investments to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Health and Social Care Professionals (25 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: The data requested by the Deputy is not held by my Department nor the agencies under its remit. Placements are organised at the level of each individual Higher Education Institution (HEI), as part of their programme offerings to be delivered in conjunction with relevant placement providers. Where appropriate, each HEI will develop their programme offerings to meet the accreditation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: As was announced on 23rd February, the Government has agreed that Level 5 as set out in the Plan for Living with COVID-19 will remain in place until midnight on 5 April 2021. Level 5 measures designate higher and further education as essential insofar as onsite presence is required and such education activities cannot be held remotely. On 6th January I confirmed that further and higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (25 Feb 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (25 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: The Programme for Government contains commitments to, among other things, review SUSI eligibility criteria, adjacency rates and postgraduate grant supports. The review of the Student Grant Scheme has just commenced and is due to report in Summer 2021. My Department is overseeing the implementation of the review through a steering group with student representation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: European Council Meetings (25 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: Education policy issues are dealt with at EU level as part of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYCS) Council. Education policy issues can range from those related to Early Childhood Education and Care to Higher Education, and so representation at such meetings may be from either the Department of Education or the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department has not incurred any COVID-19 related spend that is based on contracts awarded under a negotiated procedure without prior publication procedure in 2020 or to date in 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department has not incurred any COVID-19 related spend that is based on contracts awarded under a negotiated procedure without prior publication procedure in 2020 or to date in 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Health Professions Admission Test (24 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: The HPAT is independently administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the universities’ medical schools and RCSI. The selection criteria and process for admission to medical schools is a matter for those institutions in line with their statutory autonomy in relation to academic affairs. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Offices (24 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: I wish to inform the Deputy that in line with Government policy my department has facilities available to enable breastfeeding breaks for staff in accordance with Circular 31/2006.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (24 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 651, 653 and 668 to 670, inclusive, together. I anticipate receiving an application from the TUSEI consortium, comprising WIT and IT Carlow, by 28 April 2021. A project plan has been in place by the consortium since October 2020 and my Department is being kept updated on its progress. To date €8.8 million has been provided in co-funding of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (24 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: It is a priority for my Department to support higher education institutions in their critical role as drivers of social and economic development in their regions. Within this overall context, the creation of Technological Universities represents a radical reconfiguration of the higher education landscape, which will deliver significant benefits for regional development. This will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (24 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: The enrolment data for Institute of Technology Carlow and Waterford Institute of Technology for the 3 most recent academic years is outlined in the attached table. The information for the academic year 2020/21 will be available later this year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (24 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: Project Ireland 2040 signals an envelope of €2.2 billion for investment in higher education infrastructure over the period 2018-2027. This is in addition to infrastructure to be delivered by way of Public Private Partnership (PPP), including the Central and East Quads for TU Dublin at Grangegorman and the Higher Education PPP programme which is focused on Technological...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (24 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: A joint application under Section 29 of the Technological Universities Act 2019 has not been received to date from the Institutes of Technology comprising the Connacht Ulster Alliance TU development consortium. The Department understands that significant progress has been made in relation to the finalisation of an application, including intensive discussions with staff and students of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students, financial assistance will be provided in academic year 2020/21 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: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students, financial assistance will be provided in academic year 2020/21 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...