Results 10,181-10,200 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62, 66, 75, 411 and 417 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. My officials have liaised with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: I am strongly committed to cross-border collaboration, and there are many areas where enhanced co-operation makes sense. There is already a strong network of collaboration between the 6 Regional College in Northern Ireland and our Further Education providers. For example, colleges under Donegal ETB work closely with the North-Western Regional College in Derry to provide support to local...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: The development and progression of technological universities is an established policy objective of Government in the context of overarching national strategy on higher education landscape restructuring and this is underscored in the commitment in the current Programme for Government. Under the statutory framework provided in the Technological Universities Act 2018, two or more IoTs may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Examinations (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Institutions of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Under this legislation the institutions are academically independent and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes, including in relation to the issuing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: In October 2020, I had a productive meeting with Minister Dodds, who has responsibility for further and higher education policy in Northern Ireland. We discussed areas of common interest, including on-going collaboration between further and higher education institutions and research and innovation. I plan to meet again with Minister Dodds in the new year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 88 together. The decision on eligibility for student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: The education system has a number of key strategies in place at all levels to encourage links between further and higher education institutions and schools, to further develop the interest of young people in computer science and build on successful initiatives. Ireland’s Third ICT Skills Action Plan, Technology Skills 2022, was published on 19th February 2019. It seeks to deliver...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Nursing Education (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 70, 102, 420 and 421 together. Many students undertake placements as part of their qualifications. This includes a wide range of health professionals undertaking placements with the HSE and the wider Health Service. Bursaries, stipends, payments and other forms of remuneration are entirely a matter for the Health Service rather than course providers or my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: The establishment of Munster Technological University (MTU), the second technological university in the State, on 1 January 2021, is an important day for higher education in Ireland and for the South West. The Government has a very clear ambition to expand and consolidate higher education facilities, to boost economic development across the country and to attract research funding....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 76 and 91 together. The further and higher education and research sector remains open and continuity of high quality provision has been achieved. Though dialogue is ongoing, there is a strong shared perspective on planning and communicating the arrangements for the remainder of the academic year 2020/21. As we have now moved to Level 3 of the Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Our higher education institutions have a duty of care to their students and staff, and a responsibility to foster a campus culture that is clear in the condemnation of unwanted and unacceptable behaviours, which act as barriers to their safety and their active participation in college life. I have received correspondence with allegations of sexual harassment and bullying in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by the Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The decision on eligibility for a student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: I do not have the data requested by the Deputy. Under the Haddington Road Agreement an Expert Group on Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employment in Lecturing in Third Level Education in Ireland was established to assist in addressing concerns raised about precarious employment by Union representatives. In May 2016 the Chairperson of the Expert Group, Mr. Michael Cush S.C., published his...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Since the onset of Covid-19 in March, my Department, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and SOLAS have collaborated with key stakeholders from the sector to identify, quantify and develop options to mitigate the financial impacts of Covid 19 on the sector, including costs associated with the safe commencement of the 2020/21 academic year in line with Public Health advice. As announced in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Some of the content of this question was inadvaertantly omitted prior to forwarding to my Department. Having sought clarification on the subject matter, my Department was informed that the question related to payments to students in the Healthcare Sector which is a matter for the Department of Health. Unfortunately the deadline for withdrawal or transfer of this PQ had passed by the time...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Increasing participation in lifelong learning is a key priority for this Government. The National Skills Strategy 2025 set a target to increase the number of those aged 25-64 engaged in lifelong learning to 10% by 2020 and to 15% by 2025. Lifelong Learning figures for 2019 were just under 13%. If progress continues, we can expect to be on target to reach the 15% by 2025. Lifelong...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Colleges (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Under the Public Spending Code, a Strategic Assessment Report (SAR) is required for all projects with a projected delivery cost of over €10 million. SOLAS have confirmed a SAR was received in respect of the facility under reference and this is currently under consideration. Once their review is complete, SOLAS will be in a position to make a recommendation to my Department....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: The establishment of technological universities (TUs) is an important part of the Government’s higher education and regional development policy as underscored in the Programme for Government 2020. TUs are rooted in a multiple-campus physical environment complete with state-of-the-art learning resources such as libraries, laboratories and e-learning facilities, utilising this solid...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Section 24 (1) of the Student Support Act 2011 states: “where a person, whether or not he or she is a student, has received moneys from an awarding authority that are in respect of a grant that the person is not entitled to receive, the person is liable to repay to the awarding authority on demand a sum not exceeding the amount of money received.” SUSI has no discretion to vary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: 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 recent weeks, I launched a new National Framework to address the issues of student mental health and suicide prevention. This Framework is Ireland’s first ever national approach to address student...