Results 10,061-10,080 of 47,419 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: Ireland has one of the most highly education populations in the world, with almost two thirds of students progressing to higher education within five years of completing their secondary education. The majority of CAO offers are for a first preference course, and about 80% of applicants receive at least one offer. Last year more applicants than ever before were offered and accepted a place in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Caiteachas Ranna (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: Déantar foráil i mbuiséad mo Roinne le haghaidh: i) tuarastail agus pinsin oibrithe na hearnála poiblí san ardoideachas, sa bhreisoideachas agus sna hearnála taighde, ii) costais reatha ó lá go lá agus riachtanais infheistíochta caipitil na n-institiúidí ardoideachais agus breisoideachais, iii) taighde Éireannach lena...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: I will shortly be bringing proposals for a future funding and reform framework to Government, in response to the report on future sustainability of further and higher education and also the review of the student grant scheme. I am very clear that, from a policy perspective, addressing the sustainability of the higher education system must proceed in tandem with measures which address the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: I am very conscious of the challenges faced by students in relation to student accommodation, and my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are working closely together to address these issues. The Government has taken measures to address affordability and rent increases. Rent increases in student accommodation are capped under the Rent Pressure Zones....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: Tackling sexual violence and harassment in our tertiary education system is, and will remain, a key policy focus for me and my Department. The Programme for Government 2020 made a number of commitments in relation to tackling sexual harassment in higher education. These include the implementation of the recommendations of the Framework for Consent in Higher Education Institutions Report. It...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Adult Education Provision (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: The Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Strategy sets out a cross-government, cross-economy and cross-society approach to achieve the vision of an Ireland where every adult has the necessary literacy, numeracy and digital literacy to engage in society and realise their potential. During development and going forward, the ALL strategy closely references complementary initiatives across relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: I’m very aware of the challenges that have been faced by this year’s Leaving Certificate students, and I am working to ensure that students have access to a wider range of options across the third level education system. This means not just higher education options but those in further education and apprenticeships also. My officials are engaging with the higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: Officials in my Department have been undertaking am examination of the issues in relation to academic support activities of PhD students. This has been done in collaboration with the Irish Universities Association and Technological Higher Education Association and the National Advisory Forum for Ireland’s Framework for Doctoral Education. This work includes looking at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: The development of a new national strategy for research and innovation (R&I) is a key commitment in the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan 2021, which sets out the “dual ambition of placing research, development and innovation at the heart of addressing Ireland’s economic and societal challenges, and building capacity and capability across the research and innovation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: It is my view that any reform of the Leaving Certificate must be considered in the broader context of Senior Cycle Reform – we must consider the programme, subjects, skills and objectives in the round, not just the state examinations. We must reflect on how to ensure that all students are prepared to pursue their future paths, be they academic or vocational. Although the Leaving...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 143 together. My objective as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, to ensure that there is access into either further or higher education for each person who wishes to pursue educational options at third-level. There is a diverse range of pathways in further and higher education that meet both individual and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: I am happy to give an update on the review of the Student Grant Scheme. This was a very important commitment in the Programme for Government, which will help shape decision-making on how we support students over the years to come. Following a procurement process, the review was undertaken by Indecon Economic Consultants, under the guidance of a steering group which included student and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: On 21st January, the Government announced the lifting of a number of restrictions previously in place to curb the rate of infection and transmission of COVID19. On that basis, planning for the opening up of society, including the further education, higher education and research sector, has commenced. Arising from the announcement, institutions have been advised that there should be an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: Growth in education and training provision in green skills and sustainability is ongoing across the Tertiary Education sector. A range of options are available from short courses targeted at awareness building, upskilling and reskilling programmes to full and part-time academic and vocational programmes. In the further education and training (FET) sector, short courses are targeted at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: Tackling sexual violence and harassment in our tertiary education system is and will remain, a key policy focus for me and my Department. I really want to thank students and staff across the country who took the time to engage with this survey and share their experiences with us. A total of 11,417 responses were analysed (7,901 students and 3,516 staff) and inform the findings. The survey...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: My Department allocates mental health and well-being funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). As autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of this funding, including the funding of their student services, the employment of counselling staff, and the procurement of counselling and mental health services are a matter...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: The new National Development Plan (NDP) provides for a step up in capital funding and a significantly more ambitious phase of capital investment in the FET sector. My Department, in conjunction with SOLAS, has undertaken significant planning work to build up the governance, strategic framework and delivery capability required to underpin and support this major programme of FET investment. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 145 together. I’m very aware of the challenges that have been faced by this year’s Leaving Certificate students, and I am working to ensure that students have access to a wider range of options across the third level education system. This means not just higher education options but those in further education and apprenticeships also. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: Apprenticeship registrations in 2021 were the highest they have been since 2007, with 8,607 apprentices employed on 62 programmes. 6,955 registrations were in craft apprenticeship programmes, with over 60% of these in the Electrical, Plumbing and Carpentry and Joinery crafts. Craft apprenticeships are demand-led, with no restrictions on registrations in any single year. The current...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Feb 2022)

Simon Harris: Significant progress has been made regarding the Framework for Consent in Higher Education, since it was first launched in 2019. The Framework aims to ensure the creation of an institutional campus culture which is safe, respectful and supportive. In August 2020, I wrote to all the Presidents of the publicly funded higher education institutions, with a view to strengthening institutional...