Results 10,441-10,460 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 996 and 998 together. A detailed and comprehensive three-pillar guidance framework has been put in place to underpin a blended model of provision in higher and further education for the 2020/21 academic year. The approach is strongly aligned with the public health requirements and for shaping the work of institutions and providers in a manner which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (3 Nov 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. Students should confirm the fees position with the fees office in the institution attending. Under the Department’s free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs...

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

Simon Harris: Under the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is available to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the terms and conditions of funding, including those relating to residency, means, nationality and previous academic attainment. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for SUSI to determine. For...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Under the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is available to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the terms and conditions of funding, including those relating to residency, means, nationality and previous academic attainment. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for SUSI to determine. For the...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1001, 1021, 1027 and 1028 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1004 and 1016 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Nursing Education (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The estimated additional cost of an additional 250 student places for a one year intake is €1,875,000. The estimated cost for onecohort of the respective students for all years of a course (four years on average) is estimated at €7,500,000. These are the estimated costs to my Department based an average of funding currently provided through the HEA (€7,500 per student)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Traveller Education (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The third National Access Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education (2015 -2019) (NAP) identifies Irish Travellers as one of the target groups that are currently being under-represented in higher education. The vision of the National Access Plan is to ensure that the student body entering into, participating in and completing higher education at all levels reflects the diversity and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the centralised student grant awarding authority Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) to determine. For student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. Being a dependent student means that your...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1008, 1013 and 1029 together. In providing guidance for higher education providers to return to learning safely for the 2020/21 academic year, my Department published a three-pillar guidance framework, consistent with public health requirements. This included an adaptation framework to assist institutions to continuously adapt to meet the challenges posed by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: My Department has no plans at present for the implementation of blended learning in the English language education sector. The Government’s Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021 Plan for Living with COVID-19 sets out the Framework for Restrictive Measures in Response to COVID-19 for adult education which includes English Language Education (ELE) as open with protective measures at...

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

Simon Harris: The Irish Research Council (IRC) is supporting 8 COVID-19 related research projects through its rapid response partnership with the Health Research Board (HRB). The 8 projects funded by the IRC are within the social and policy countermeasures strand, and were funded from the IRC’s existing budget. Details of these projects are attached. Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) redirected...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Colleges (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: I have provided the information requested by the Deputy in the attached document. The details provided are for the 2017/18 financial year, which represents the most recent audited position for all Universities, Technological Universities and Institutes of Technology. ">Breakdown

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Under the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is available to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the terms and conditions of funding, including those relating to residency, means, nationality and previous academic attainment. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for SUSI to determine. For...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, under the current statutory framework, Universities such as the University of Limerick (UL) are independent and autonomous bodies and on that basis are responsible for the conduct of their own day-to-day operations. In that context, my Department understand UL initiated the report referred to by the Deputy and therefore its publication and any recommendations...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Universities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous and determine their own procedures for admission. The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on their behalf. Decisions on admissions are made by the higher education institutions who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. Therefore neither I nor my Department have a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Briefing (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: My Department provided a comprehensive briefing document to me on my appointmentas Minister. The briefing document provided to me will be published on theDepartment's website shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs, including the management of academic affairs. They retain the right to determine their own policies and procedures. Deadlines and procedures for students to withdraw from chosen courses is a matter for individual institutions and my Department does not have a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science was established in July 2020. There is a nil return for 2019 and a complete record is not available in respect of 2020 as the full report of the award of contracts on a non-competitive basis will be compiled after the end of the accounting period.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (3 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: COVID-19 has, as elsewhere, caused major disruption to all activities at our higher education institutions (HEIs). This includes their research activities because laboratories have been closed as part of wider campus closures and access to archives, engagement with focus groups, etc., have also been curtailed. Consequently, many researchers and research students whose contracts are...