Results 10,221-10,240 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

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...

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

Simon Harris: Continuity for the most part of further and higher education and research has been maintained throughout the pandemic. The diversity and flexibility of higher education institutions has been key in driving responsive and adaptable approaches to the challenges created by the pandemic, ensuring that the sector has remained open and that continuity of high quality provision has been achieved. ...

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

Simon Harris: I have been struck by the initiatives I have seen to give people with intellectual disabilities an opportunity to engage with higher education institutions. It is fair to say that these have tended to be smaller in scale than the system-level provision delivered in the further education and training (FET) sector, but I am interested in seeing what we can do to build on these existing...

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

Simon Harris: Postgraduate programmes are comprised of a range of elements designed to further the training and development of 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 skills...

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

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, which was provided in Budget 2021, in recognition of the significant challenges they have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic will offer financial assistance to all EU full-time...

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

Simon Harris: Postgraduate programmes are comprised of a range of elements designed to further the training and development of 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. Teaching contribution assists in...

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

Simon Harris: In line with the Programme for Government, I recently announced plans to review the SUSI scheme. The Programme for Government contains commitments to, among other things, review SUSI eligibility criteria, adjacency rates and postgraduate grant supports. The proposed scope of the SUSI review was noted by Government last week. My Department will oversee the implementation of the review...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (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. I recently 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 mental...

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

Simon Harris: In October 2020, I held a productive meeting with Minister Diane Dodds, Minister for the Economy. Our discssion, held virtually, touched on areas of common interest, including ongoing co-operation between our higher education institutions and the possibilities for collaboration in areas including research and innovation. It would be my intention to meet again with Minister Dodds in the new...

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

Simon Harris: Officials from my Department are engaging in discussions with the HEA and DPER in relation to the development of a new set of principles to inform a revised Higher Education Staffing Agreement. This will form the basis of an update to the current Employment Control Framework which is implemented since 2011. My officials are engaged with the Higher Education Authority and officials...

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

Simon Harris: As stated in the Programme for Government 2020 the progression of a technological university to serve the people of the South East is the Government’s top priority in higher education and regional development terms. Any peripheral proposals must be viewed in that context, particularly if there is any risk of delay or impeding the delivery of the TU agenda in the South East. At...

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

Simon Harris: The complex nature of the student grant scheme means that there is a risk that some students receive grant payments for which they are not eligible, including for reasons beyond the direct control of SUSI. To mitigate the risk of overpayments, SUSI implements procedural and system-based controls within its application assessment and grant payment operations. A highly developed quality...