Results 10,261-10,280 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 464 and 465 together. My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding as a block grant to the institutions. As autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of this funding and private funding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Under the statutory framework detailed in the Technological Universities Act 2018, it is a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant Institutes of Technology participating in a TU development consortium to progress their plans and, when ready, to make an application to the Minister seeking an order establishing a TU subject to their meeting the eligibility criteria prescribed in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (8 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 upheaval they have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic will offer financial assistance to all EU...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme where students are studying for the first time or are progressing to study at a higher level e.g. progressing to postgraduate study. To qualify for grant support, a student has to meet various criteria such as means, residency, nationality and progression. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: The development of a sustainable funding model for higher education is essential in light of the centrality of higher education.  The future development of Ireland as an inclusive society and a knowledge economy against the backdrop of rapid technological change.  In that context, a comprehensive economic evaluation of the funding options presented in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (8 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 upheaval they have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic will offer financial assistance to all EU...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: I have made clear from day one that access and inclusion are at the core of my vision for my new Department.  My Department will spend well over €400 million on student supports in 2020 including the SUSI scheme.  As part of Budget 2021, I have secured an additional €20 million to provide for additional applicants, €6 million to expand...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Arising from the establishment of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the transfer of functions in the areas of further education, skills development and higher education and including the non-voted National Training Fund, it became necessary to transfer the relevant subhead allocations from the Department of Education (Vote 26) to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, the fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the student's access route including previous education. Entry to medicine in Irish HEIs is provided through both undergraduate and graduate entry routes. Under the Department's Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer pays tuition fees on behalf of eligible first...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: The purpose of the Student Grant Scheme is to provide additional assistance where parental income is below a certain threshold, or in the case of independent mature students, where the level of income of the student and his or her spouse warrants additional assistance by way of a grant. For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: It is important to note in relation to this issue that under the Free Fees Schemes the Exchequer currently makes a very substantial contribution amounting to €340m to meeting the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate Higher Education students with those students who are required to pay the student contribution paying €3,000 per annum towards the cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Throughout the last number of months my Department has been engaging with representatives from the higher education sector including the USI to address the challenges faced by students in this difficult time. I will continue to liaise with the USI and have met regularly with the President of the USI including on one occasion specifically in relation to the USI's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the state agency with responsibility for the external quality assurance of further and higher education and training in Ireland. Higher education providers are required to establish quality assurance procedures in accordance with QQI's Core Statutory Quality Assurance Guidelines. In addition, QQI's Statutory Sector-Specific Guidelines for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Under the statutory framework provided in the Technological Universities Act 2018, two or more applicant institutes may jointly seek technological university (TU) designation through a prescribed legislative process subject to their jointly meeting specified eligibility criteria. Section 29of the 2018 Act provides that two or more applicant institutes may jointly apply to the Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 479 to 481, inclusive, together. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) collects statistical data from the higher education institutions, and the detailed field of study and programme type is the most granular level of statistical data that the HEA provides data on. The HEA does not have statistics by institutional campus location...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Entry to medicine in Irish HEIs is provided through both undergraduate and graduate entry routes. HEIs operate access and foundation courses that act as an alternative means of entry for students to higher education courses. Many HEIs also participate in the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) and Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) schemes which offer places on courses on a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disability Act Employment Targets (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Part V of the Disability Act 2005 requires that public bodies promote and support the employment of people with disabilities and ensure that 3% of staff employed by them are people with disabilities.  The requirement applies to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and certain of its aegis bodies. The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: My Department has introduced and is implementing effective control measures on an ongoing basis to ensure that physical distancing can be observed at all times by staff in accordance with the Work Safely Protocol.  The facility to work remotely has been introduced and communications and meetings are now conducted through online platforms. Control measures have also been implemented, in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: I am conscious of the difficulties being experienced by students and their families as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and of the importance of the Student Grant Scheme and related supports, such as the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. These supports have a fundamental role in assisting students and families who are putting their children through further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (3 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies as set out in legislation and are responsible for the day-to-day management and operational affairs of the institution. They retain the right to determine their own policies and procedures. The level of fees to be charged are therefore a matter for the relevant institution to determine in line with its own criteria.