Results 9,961-9,980 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (18 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on behalf of the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Decisions on admissions, including deadlines for submissions of applications, are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO in this matter. The HPAT is independently administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (18 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 221 together. Information and reporting on Covid outbreaks, including those associated with higher education, is a matter for public health authorities in the Department of Health and HSE and is subject to patient confidentiality and GDPR requirements. Therefore the information requested by the Deputy is not held by my Department. In the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Guarantee (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: The Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) supports the implementation of the EU youth guarantee. It is programmed as a dedicated priority axis with the European Social Fund (ESF) Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020 (PEIL). Ireland’s specific YEI allocation of €68m (for 2014 and 2015) is matched by equal amounts from our ESF allocation and from the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: Under the Department’s free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students with students paying the student contribution. The student contribution applies to all students on an annual basis, who are eligible under the 'free fees' scheme. The current rate is €3,000 per annum. Currently in excess...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on behalf of the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Decisions on admissions, including deadlines for submissions of applications, are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO in this matter. The HPAT is independently administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 554, 566 and 567 together. I am conscious of the impact that Covid-19 has had on the leaving certificate class of 2021, and will take action as necessary to ensure that a full range of further and higher education options are available to them. I am aware of the high number of CAO applications this year, and my officials are engaging regularly with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: The latest available figures on supply and demand in the student accommodation sector, including the breakdown between private and university-owned accommodation, was published in 2017 and used data from 2014. My Department also tracks new developments in student accommodation, with the breakdown in the number of bed spaces completed in the private and HEI-owned sectors since 2016 available...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (17 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 my Department have a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Students (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department has informed the higher education sector that, at present, international travel for education purposes should only be facilitated for those international students for whom on-campus academic attendance is essential during semester 2, for example for necessary practical and clinical activities. The higher education sector follows a protocol which was put in place prior to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Students (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: The information sought by the Deputy is being collated and this will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: The Institution in question has not sought the inclusion of its programmes on the list of approved courses for tax relief on tuition fees at this time. Section 473A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 set out the conditions for tax relief on tuition fees for higher education. For the purposes of inclusion on the list of approved courses as published by the Revenue Commissioners, an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 563 to 565, inclusive, together. The support and wellbeing of our students is a priority for my Department, 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 support in the amount of €168m for the Higher Education and Further Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Students (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department has informed the higher education sector that, at present, international travel for education purposes should only be facilitated for those international students for whom on-campus academic attendance is essential during semester 2, for example in respect of necessary practical and clinical activities. The higher education sector follows a protocol which was put in place...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategy Statements (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 569 and 570 together. A consultation process on the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science's Statement of Strategy was launched on 2 December and it closed on 18 December 2020. Over 130 responses were received to the consultation, from a wide variety of respondents. The Department of Further and Higher Education,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: Under the student grant scheme in relation to progression, 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 for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: I appreciate that this is a time of considerable stress and concern for third level students and the challenging and stressful circumstances that students are facing are being taken into account by Higher Education institutions as they adapt and respond to the changing situation. This includes the consideration of issues around on-site access for practical work for students. The national...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: As Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Skills, I am committed to continuing the process of investing in our higher education system and to the development and implementation of a sustainable funding model for the sector. It is important to note that, in considering the total level of resource available to the sector, Universities are autonomous bodies...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Erasmus+ Programme (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: The Irish Government has committed to providing continued access to Erasmus + higher education mobilities for students in NI institutions. Officials in my Department have been engaging with the HEA, with representatives from our higher education institutions and with NI institutions to develop operational procedures for the scheme, with further meetings planned between NI and Irish higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, a new Library, IT and Education Building is planned for Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT). The project forms part of Bundle 2 of the Higher Education PPP Programme. It will consist of a library and various learning resource spaces, general and specialised teaching spaces, ICT labs, administration space and ancillary space. Submissions have been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Funding (17 Feb 2021)

Simon Harris: For the 2014-2020 programming period Ireland was comprised of two NUTS 2 regions – the Southern and Eastern Region and the Border, Midland and Northern Region (BMW). Both NUTS 2 Regions were categorised as more developed regions, attracting a 50% ESF cofinancing rate and a 66.67% YEI cofinancing rate. Reflecting the changes introduced to Ireland's regional structure this will...