Results 10,081-10,100 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 Jan 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 including the USI to address the...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 398 and 399 together. The National Student Accommodation Strategy (NSAS) was published in 2017 and is designed to support the delivery of an increased level of supply of purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) by reducing planning barriers for public and private sector developers of student accommodation and seeking to address financing barriers for our...

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

Simon Harris: The administration of the vaccine and prioritisation of vulnerable or essential groups is a matter for the Health Service Executive. As the Deputy will be aware, the Strategy for the vaccine was developed by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and Department of Health, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and approved by Government on 8 December 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (20 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) has responsibility to develop, promote and maintain the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). The NFQ is a framework through which learning achievements may be measured and related to each other in a coherent way. Qualifications are organised within the NFQ based on their level of knowledge, skill and competence on a scale from 1-10. It...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 402 and 404 together. In considering the issue of fees, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (20 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: Under the Department's student grant scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme. The definition of an approved institution is set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 3 of the Student Support Regulations 2020. In the context of scarce resources, the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (20 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: Science Foundation Ireland (20 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: SFI Research Centres are hosted at one Higher Education Institute. The host institute has responsibility for the administration of the award. However, each Centre has a number of academic partners with researchers at those partner institutes heavily involved in the Centre’s research. The budget assigned to the central award flows to the relevant partner Universities/Institutes of...

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

Simon Harris: In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students the Government is providing financial assistance in this academic year 2020/21 to all SUSI eligible students and to EU full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students attending publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state. Under this initiative students who avail of the SUSI grant will receive a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (20 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware a Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) Working Group was established in March 2017. The key objective of this group was to develop a plan to develop a sustainable future for the Mayo Campus arising from concerns about the financial viability of the campus. As recently highlighted by GMIT the creation of a Technological University by the Connaught Ulster...

Covid-19 (Higher Education): Statements (14 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Harkin for her questions. My information regarding the Connacht-Ulster alliance and the application for technological university status is the same as the Deputy's. We are expecting that application imminently. My Department, I, as Minister, and the Government are very supportive of it. The north west needs this university which offers really exciting opportunities in terms...