Results 10,041-10,060 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disability Act Employment Targets (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: Part V of the Disability Act 2005 requires that public bodies promote and support the employment of people with disabilities and ensure that 3% of staff employed by them are people with disabilities. The requirement applies to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Resource, Innovation and Science and certain of its aegis bodies. My Department which was established on 23 July...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Appointments to State Boards (27 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 615 and 616 together. The details sought by the Deputy are available in the attached tables. As the Deputy will be aware Board appointments while made by me as Minister, are not in all cases made at my discretion. Individuals may be nominated for appointment by various organisations arising from the terms in the relevant legislation regarding the Body...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Access to Higher Education (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: The DARE scheme is operated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) who set the policy criteria for the scheme. Admissions under the DARE scheme are regulated by the higher education institutions themselves. Each institution determines its own admissions policy in relation to the scheme, the number of places they reserve and the allocation of those places. Applications to the scheme are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Erasmus+ Programme (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: It is important to note that student participation in the Erasmus+ Programme does not depend on the nationality of the student, but on the institution in which the student is registered. Education institutions must hold the Erasmus Mobility Charter, which allows them to partner with each other. Once there is an Inter-institutional agreement between the 'sending' and 'host' institution, it...

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

Simon Harris: In considering this issue, it is important to note that the State currently provides very substantial financial support to undergraduate students in higher education towards the cost of their studies. This support has played a very significant role in facilitating access to and growth in higher education. What was previously the preserve of a relatively small proportion of the school leaving...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: Eduroam is a service provided by HEAnet, the Education Sectors Shared Service provider of ICT Services including the provision of the Education and Research Network. The Eduroam service would benefit all students especially with the increasing move to online education and dependence on broadband accessibility. Eduroam is a mature solution across Irish higher education where the large...

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

Simon Harris: The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on the behalf of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. It is not within my remit to instruct the HEIs in relation to criteria for admission to higher education. My officials have met with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Funding (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation's final report was published on 12 January 2021 by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Recommendation no. 38 of the report states that ‘a number of scholarships should be created for further research in memory of all the children who died, with preference given to children from disadvantaged...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Erasmus+ Programme (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: The recent Government's decision on facilitating continued access to Erasmus mobilities is focused on higher education students in Northern Ireland institutions. However I have asked my officials to explore the issues regarding students pursuing further education programmes in Northern Ireland and to report to me shortly.

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

Simon Harris: As the deputy is aware, Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is one of the pathways to study undergraduate medicine. One of the recommendations of the Fottrell report (2006) was the introduction of a new graduate entry medicine programme (GEM). Students pursuing GEM programmes do so as second degree courses and consequently are not eligible for free fees funding or for student grants. In...

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

Simon Harris: The fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the student's access route including previous education. Entry to medicine in Irish HEIs is provided through both undergraduate and graduate entry routes. Under the Department's Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer pays tuition fees on behalf of eligible first time undergraduate students...

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

Simon Harris: In accordance with the principles associated with the Common Travel Area, students from Northern Ireland, and other parts of the United Kingdom, will not be liable for international fees, should they pursue their higher education studies in Ireland. They will be treated on the same basis as ‘home’ students in terms of fees.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: Eduroam is a service provided by HEAnet, the Education Sectors Shared Service provider of ICT Services including the provision of the Education and Research Network. This service is a mature solution across Irish higher education where students have used it to access on line services at any higher education institution not just the institution they are attending. The service is possible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: Eduroam is a service provided by HEAnet, the Education Sectors Shared Service provider of ICT Services including the provision of the Education and Research Network. This service is a mature solution across Irish higher education where students have used it to access on line services at any higher education institution not just the institution they are attending. The service is possible...

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

Simon Harris: The Programme for Government contains commitments to, among other things, review SUSI eligibility criteria, adjacency rates and postgraduate grant supports. This Department will oversee the implementation of the review through a steering group with student representation as well as representation from SUSI. It is intended that the review will commence early this year and will report in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Data (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is not available at present. The Higher Education Authority, who collect this data from the higher education institutions, have advised that the breakdown of students, by year of study, for the 2019/2020 academic year is expected to be available in a number of weeks. The collection of the data for the 2020/2021 academic year has yet to begin, and would...

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

Simon Harris: 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. In 2020 more students than ever before were offered a place in higher education with more than 49,000 accepting an offer of a place. There is no indication that a higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (21 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students the Government has approved once off funding of €50m to provide additional financial assistance in this academic year. The funding was provided in Budget 2021, in recognition of the exceptional situation they have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial assistance will be provided to all SUSI...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: The Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19 was published by the Government on 15 September, 2020. Ireland is currently at Level 5 of the Plan and under this level the public health risk means that we are all being asked to stay at home, with certain exceptions. Information on the public health measures in currently in place in relation to the different Levels can be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 396 and 409 together. I am conscious of the challenges faced by students regarding student accommodation this year due to financial pressures and the blended learning format of the 2020/21 academic year. Throughout the last number of months my Department has been engaging with representatives from the higher education sector to address the challenges faced...