Results 10,401-10,420 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Via the process of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), a person may gain admission to a programme of study or may gain exemptions/credits from some parts of a programme based on demonstrated learning. This demonstrated learning may have been achieved through another programme of study, through work or through other learning experiences. The Qualifications and Quality Assurance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: A summary of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science funding allocations for 2021 is set out in Chapter 9 (pages 83 to 88) of the 2021 Expenditure Report that was published on 13 October 2020 as part of 2021 Budget day documentation. This sets out the main areas identified for funding in 2021, with the caveat that this does not reflect transfers of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: As of midnight on Wednesday 21 October 2020, all of Ireland has been placed on Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID. Under the Level 5 measures, higher and further education is designated as essential insofar as onsite presence is required and education activities cannot be held remotely. Given the scale and diversity within third-level provision, higher and further education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The number of grant recipients in Cavan and Monaghan for the 2020/21 academic year are as follows: Cavan: 1,386 Monaghan: 1,162

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: My officials have been in contact with each of the agencies under the remit of my Department in regard to the Deputy’s query. I am advised that one body falls within the scope of your query.  The details in regard to that body are outlined in the supporting table. SOLAS Name of Third Party Contractor Number of staff employed by Third Party Provider¹ ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: SUSI opened on 23rd April 2020 for applications for the 2020/21 academic year. Of the 100,231 applications received 94,431 (94%) have been completed. SUSI has awarded 75,945 applications to date, with a further 18,486 applications refused/cancelled. As of 16thNovember 2020, of the remaining 5,800 applications - 3,861 are with students and  SUSI is waiting for documentation to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Research and Training (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is responsible for collecting, analysing and disseminating student and graduate data from all HEA-funded higher education institutions (HEIs). There follows first-year enrolments on both undergraduate and graduate entry medicine degree programmes for the 2018/19 academic year. Data in relation to enrolments in the 2019/2020 academic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2021 (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 638 and 641 together. In Budget 2021, no additional ring-fenced funding towards domestic violence services relates to my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (17 Nov 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 a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2021 (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I am very conscious of the impact the pandemic has had on our students. To ensure the safety of our students and staff in further and higher education, the majority of college will be online for this semester.  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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Applicants who wish to apply for a Springboard+ course must have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to the programme and meet other eligibility criteria. A stamp 2 visa indicates permission to study a full time course on the official Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) for a specified period,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: This Department was formally established under the transfer of functions order dated 21 October 2020 with the functions transferring from the Department of Education. The Department of Education and Skills 2019 Appropriation Accounts disclosed three categories of contingent liabilities, none of which are relevant to this Department. My Department will as part of the 2020 Appropriation Account...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (17 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I am conscious of the challenges faced by students in relation to student accommodation this year due to financial pressures and the blended learning format of the 2020/21 academic year. Throughout the last number of months my Department has been engaging with representatives from the higher education sector to address the challenges faced by students in this difficult time. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The main support available to students is the statutory based SUSI grant scheme. Under the terms of the Student Grant 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. As specified in Schedule 2 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Offices (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The renting and leasing of Government offices is the responsibility of Property Management Services in the Office of Public Works, which acts as an agent for all Government Departments. The number, terms and cost of the leases is a matter for the OPW.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Offices (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The renting and leasing of Government offices is the responsibilty of the Office of Public Works which acts as a property agent for all Government departments. The number, terms and costs of leases are a matter for the OPW. The Department does not lease any other office space.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: On 22 October 2020 the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine notified the Department of Education that it had removed ViraPro hand sanitiser from the product register. On the same day that Department removed the supplier of Virapro and its entire product offering from the Education Sector PPE Procurement Agreement and advised all schools and other educational institutions to cease all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Brexit Issues (12 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: In keeping with the Memorandum of Understanding on the Common Travel Area which was signed by the Irish and UK Governments in July 2019, students from Northern Ireland attending higher education institutions here will continue to be treated on the same basis as Irish students for the purposes of fees and access to SUSI grants. Arrangements are being put in place to support this position...