Results 10,741-10,760 of 45,510 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Briefing (17 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: My Department provided a briefing document to me on my appointment as Minister.  In line with established practise, the document will be published on the Department's website shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (16 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The CAO system is a system that works on the assumption that grades obtained in the Leaving Certificate by candidates determine their points. It is on this basis that the CAO system allocates places to applicants including those from different years. For the 2020 CAO system to proceed to pave the way for entry to higher education for the majority of applicants within the current...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (16 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: My Department does not collect figures on the number of students from Ireland who choose to pursue their third level studies abroad, and as such has no basis to make a prediction on the number of students choosing to do so this year. The number of students who accept CAO offers depends on a wide range of factors, such, and the full picture will not be known until all places are filled at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (16 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: In order to help mitigate the impact of the changes to the grading system, I announced the creation of an additional 2,225 places on high-demand courses in Higher Education Institutions. These places have resulted in the highest ever number of applicants receiving a CAO offers, with 53,815 CAO applicants receiving round one offers on Friday. A summary of the additional places provided, by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Assistance Fund (15 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: As part of a package of COVID-19 supports for the higher and further education sectors, my Department has allocated €15 million to higher and further education providers for a once-off COVID-19 Grant to support disadvantaged students in accessing ICT devices. The higher and further education providers will determine which individual students should be prioritised to receive a...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 535, 540, 542 and 560 together. The CAO system is a system that works on the assumption that grades obtained in the Leaving Certificate by candidates determine their points. It is on this basis that the CAO system allocates places to applicants including those from different years. For the 2020 CAO system to proceed to pave the way for entry to higher...

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

Simon Harris: Under the Department’s free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate Higher Education students with students paying the student contribution. The student contribution fee is currently set at €3,000 per annum and can be paid in instalments. The State pays the contribution in full or part for approximately 44% of...

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

Simon Harris: 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. A student may be assessed as an...

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

Simon Harris: 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. A student may be assessed as an...

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

Simon Harris: This year in the CAO Round 1 offers, 24,458 students received a first preference offer for a Level 8 course. This is in comparison to 23,129 students last year, an increase of 1,329 or 6% on last year. 28,677 students received a first preference offer for a level 7/6 course, an increase of 1,403 or 5% on last year. There is some overlap in these categories, as a student can receive a...

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

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are academically independent and have the right to determine the procedures and criteria for the selection and admission of students. The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on behalf of the higher education institutions. Admissions under the alternative routes and schemes, including places for applications under...

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

Simon Harris: I appreciate that this year has been a difficult one for students, and my Department has been working with representatives from the higher education sector to address the challenges faced by students. I understand based on the information available to me that students in university-owned accommodation have received pro-rata refunds if they have vacated their accommodation. I have indicated...

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

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are governed by the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technologies Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Within the meaning of these Acts, HEIs are autonomous with regard to the management of their academic affairs and as such retain the right to determine their own procedures and processes, including admissions. Neither the...

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

Simon Harris: The Attorney General is the legal adviser to the Government and as such advice received by Government is legally privileged. Consequently, I am not in a position to share or release the advice concerned. However I have set out the substance of it in my media interviews and press conference last week.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Assistance Fund (15 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been undertaking detailed planning and contingencies for their re-opening and communicating these to students, moving from emergency remote learning towards a mode of blended learning, combining both online and onsite provision. The details of these arrangements are being finalised with all HEIs having published their academic calendars with...

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

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by the Department in financial terms is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the terms of the 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. The decision on...

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

Simon Harris: Since the onset of Covid-19 in March, the 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. In July I...

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

Simon Harris: The Department was not previously aware of the matter referred to by the Deputy. The details supplied by the Deputy are currently being considered with a view to establishing an appropriate response. Without pre-empting the outcome of that consideration, I should advise the Deputy that the Department takes very seriously any concerns raised relating to specific allegations of impropriety...

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

Simon Harris: The diversity and flexibility of the Higher Education sector has been key in driving responsive and adaptable approaches to the challenges created by the pandemic. However this very diversity means that the development of one single plan for return to learning would not have been possible. Higher Education Institutions have been undertaking detailed planning and contingencies for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (15 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: As part of a package of COVID-19 supports for the higher and further education sectors, my Department has allocated €15 million to higher and further education providers for a once-off COVID-19 Grant to support disadvantaged students in accessing ICT devices. This initiative addresses concerns regarding the digital divide in the context of the shift to online and blended models...