Results 10,121-10,140 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: The determination as to the level of postgraduate fees to be charged is a matter for each institution in accordance with its own particular operational conditions and circumstances in ensuring quality education provision. The cost of delivering such programmes has not reduced as a consequence of the pandemic indeed institutions have had a range of additional costs in continuing to deliver...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Erasmus+ Programme (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: In cases where students had to cancel their Erasmus mobility due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they are entitled to receive the support covering their travel expenses if they were not able to cancel their travel booking and where reimbursement from the carrier company/insurance was not possible. In any case, the student should provide evidence that a booking was made and that their efforts...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: My Department was recently established and has not undertaken a contractual relationship with the named company during the timeframe specified. Enquiries have been made with the bodies under the aegis of my Department and I am advised by my officials that one aegis body, SOLAS, had contracts which fell within the scope of the Deputy’s query. The table attached contains the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: Higher education institutions act as Contracting Authority for the majority of capital projects delivered in the higher education sector. Based on information compiled by this Department, which relates to capital projects over €5 million only, there have been four projects co-funded by the Department and a further five projects completed without Department funding in the higher...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Third Level Reform (13 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 have been 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 Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Third Level Costs (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 648, 649, 652 and 656 together. 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 these issues. As a result of the decision to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Third Level Staff (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: Postgraduate programmes are comprised of a range of elements designed to further the training and development of these students. In particular PhD students, in addition to conducting research, participate in other activities to develop generic and transferable skills. These activities are regarded as an integral part of their training and typically include teaching. Development of these...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 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 EU full-time...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: European Organization for Nuclear Research (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: Innovation 2020, the national strategy for research and innovation, recognises that for Ireland to become a Global Innovation Leader, our research and innovation system must be open with strong international collaboration links. Membership of leading international research organisations is an important mechanism for facilitating this engagement. For this reason, the Government gave a...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Third Level Admissions (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: The University of Limerick is an autonomous institution within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997. It is therefore academically independent and entitled to regulate its own academic affairs and administrative processes, including in relation to admissions. Neither I nor my Department have a role in these internal processes. Admission to the post-primary PME is contingent on the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 658 and 663 together. With the deterioration of the COVID-19 situation in Ireland in recent weeks, HE and FET providers have been required to adapt again and carefully restrict the number of staff and students coming on-site. Institutions and providers are using their discretion to restrict onsite attendance, only allowing the most essential work to...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: As part of a package of COVID-19 supports for the higher and further education sectors, my Department allocated a total of €15 million to higher and further education providers for a once-off COVID-19 grant to support disadvantaged students in accessing ICT devices. This initiative addresses concerns regarding the digital divide in the context of the shift to online and blended...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Erasmus+ Programme (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: In the context of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, representatives of civic society from all communities in Northern Ireland expressed concern over the loss of access to the EU's Erasmus Mobility Programme for students in higher education. In responding to these concerns, the Irish Government has committed to providing continued access to Erasmus + higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: With the deterioration of the COVID-19 situation in Ireland in recent weeks, HE and FET providers have been required to adapt again and carefully restrict the number of staff and students coming on-site.  Institutions and providers are using their discretion to restrict onsite attendance, only allowing the most essential work to take place onsite. Local assessments of what can be...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Third Level Staff (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: I wish to advise the Deputy that, in accordance with the methodology used in the published institutional profiles, the information available to my Department reflects an academic staff:student ratio in Institutes of Technology of 15:1 (2017/18 enrolment figures). My officials have requested that the HEA undertake to confirm the updated ratio and the details will be communicated...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: The Government has agreed that Level 5 as set out in the Plan for Living with COVID-19 will apply nationally and will remain in place until midnight on 31 January 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 6 January I confirmed that further and higher education will...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Erasmus+ Programme (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: In the context of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, representatives of civic society from all communities in Northern Ireland expressed concern over the loss of access to the EU's Erasmus Mobility Programme for students in higher education.  In responding to these concerns, the Irish Government has committed to providing continued access to Erasmus + higher...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Shared Island Unit (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: Last October, I had a virtual meeting with Minister Dodds, when we discussed a number of areas of interest for cross-border collaboration between our Departments.  This work is to be taken forward by Departmental Officials and other key stakeholders, particularly having regard to the Irish Government's shared island initiative. My Department is also engaged with the Department of An...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Third Level Staff (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: The Department has committed to a review of the decision-making process in relation to the examination of complaints on governance issues at the institution referred to by the Deputy. Steps have been taken to commence the compilation of relevant records and initiate arrangements for the conduct of a review and it is hoped to make progress in the coming weeks, allowing for some...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Student Grant Scheme (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme administered by SUSI. To qualify for grant support, a student has to meet various criteria such as means, residency, nationality and progression. Approved undergraduate courses for the Student Grant Scheme 2020 are prescribed in the Student Support Regulations 2020 and in the Student Support Act 2011. It is not...