Results 10,201-10,220 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

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

Simon Harris: My Department liaises regularly with colleagues in the Department of Health on the implications of COVID-19 for higher and further education. I am in regular contact with my colleague the Minister for Health. Such close and ongoing cooperation does not take the form of my meeting directly with with the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). My Department has at all times been guided...

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

Simon Harris: As outlined in my previous responses to the Deputy on this issue, the report referred to was undertaken by the University of Limerick (UL) in the context of its legislative autonomy to address and resolve any issue that arises within the University. Under the Universities Act 1997, overall authority for the affairs of the University is vested in the Governing Authority appointed under the...

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

Simon Harris: The student grant scheme opens the door for many people to access further and higher education who would not otherwise have been able to avail of these opportunities. However, I have been very clear in my view that the scheme has remained static despite changes in Irish society in recent years. The Programme for Government contains commitments to, among other things, review SUSI...

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

Simon Harris: 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 minimise on-site teaching, all universities have confirmed that students...

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

Simon Harris: My Department and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) engage with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on a regular basis in relation to their campus development plans and capital projects. I have also had a number of useful engagements with stakeholders within the sector at which capital development was a major focus. As the Deputy will be aware, higher education institutions are...

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

Simon Harris: In May 2016 the then Minister welcomed the report of the Chairperson of the Expert Group on Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employment in Lecturing in Third Level Education in Ireland. The recommendations contained in the report will assist in addressing concerns raised about precarious employment. The Department issued directions to the sector on the 4th July 2016 to implement the recommendations...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Science Foundation Ireland (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: The creation of my Department reflects the priority which the Government attaches to research, innovation and science. My intent is to bring a renewed focus and level on ambition to how research and human capital can drive sustainable economic development in every part of Ireland and help us to address major societal and global challenges. I have been very struck in my international...

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

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. This year 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: SOLAS Funding (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: For 2021 and beyond, my Department, in consultation with SOLAS, aims to support a more strategic investment to Futher Education and Training (FET) capital. SOLAS is engaging with the sector in anticipation of a call-out early in the New Year for capital investment proposals. This will identify projects for delivery in 2021 while also identifying medium to larger scale projects to be...

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...