Results 10,841-10,860 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for this important question. The short answer is that I will. I have already spoken to the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, about this. He was planning a meeting with the Union of Students in Ireland, USI. That either has taken place or will take place shortly. The union has a number of proposals that it wants the Minister to consider and he wants to engage with USI...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Costs (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I welcome the Deputy's kind words for the staff of SUSI. I met them last week and it is incredible that almost all of them have to work remotely to keep everybody safe and follow public health guidance. They are still managing to process a serious amount of applications so I join the Deputy in thanking them. I asked for a note from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I very much welcome the survey done by the Deputy and it is important to directly hear the voices of students. In 2015, the State was investing approximately €1.4 billion of Exchequer funds in higher education and that has now risen to €1.8 billion. When we add the SUSI costs, the figure rises to above €2 billion. We need to do more and the programme for Government...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Higher Education Institutions (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I was delighted to see this question as I had an exciting meeting the other day with representatives of HEAnet, the organisation that is involved in rolling out technological solutions for students. The Deputy knows that eduroam is a Wi-Fi system used not just by students on campus in Ireland but around the world. HEAnet is in the process of developing proposals to see how this eduroam...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Higher Education Institutions (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I suggest we engage on this matter if the Deputy wishes to send me some proposals in this regard. We fund the HEA through the innovation and transformation fund and I have a long list of projects I could read out that it is already funding. The Deputy has identified a real need, particularly in some of the more rural parts of the country. HEAnet is funded through the HEA and it is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Higher Education Institutions (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The Deputy has honestly highlighted what is a very delicate balance. Deputies in the House are quite rightly calling on me to ensure we provide extra college places and it is perfectly appropriate. At the same time, we must meet the needs of existing students, and all in a world of Covid-19, where health and safety must come first. As I stated, I expect all students to receive details of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Admissions (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 51 together. I was very grateful to Deputy Conway-Walsh for wanting to transfer questions in order to highlight this matter as I know the issue is important and timely. This year has been one like no other, and it was a year when a leaving certificate class could not do a leaving certificate exam. At every twist and turn, everybody in this House...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for the question. One of the few jurisdictions that has higher fees is Northern Ireland. I presume the same logic would apply in terms of the Deputy wanting to see a reduction in fees in Northern Ireland where Sinn Féin is in government and where the fees are £4,395 sterling per annum and students, therefore, are leaving colleges in Northern Ireland heavily...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Fees (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I agree with the Deputy. Opportunities that are often available to students will not be available in the current college year, the most obvious being employment opportunities. Many students work part time to supplement the cost of living and the cost of going to college. For this reason, we decided to make a targeted intervention this year in doubling the student assistance fund. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: Off the job training for craft apprentices was suspended on the 12th March. At that time there were almost 200 classes of craft apprentices undertaking practical training and assessment in Education and Training Boards (ETBs), Institutes of Technology (IoTs) and TU Dublin. Where possible, theory assessments have been completed remotely. Revision and assessment for approximately 950...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (9 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The student grant is a contribution towards the cost of attending college. The scheme provides for different levels of maintenance support, depending on means. Grants are also provided at adjacent and non-adjacent rates and there are provisions for a number of income disregards. The higher non-adjacent rates are intended to provide additional support to those students who may be living away...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Examinations (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous and retain the right to determine their own policies and procedures in relation to academic affairs. The student contribution charge covers the cost of elements such as student registration, admissions and examination fees. However, repeat examination fees are charged separately being set by the individual institution concerned and as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (9 Sep 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. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oireachtas Joint Committee Recommendations (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: Innovation 2020, the national strategy for research and innovation, recognises that for Ireland to become a Global Innovation Leader, our research and innovation system must be open with strong international collaboration links. Membership of leading international research organisations is an important mechanism for facilitating this engagement. For this reason, the Government gave a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I am deeply concerned by the findings emerging from the Sexual Experiences Survey 2020(SES) published in June 2020 by the NUI Galway Active Consent Programme in partnership with the union in question. In early August 2020 I wrote to each President of the publically funded higher education institutions requesting that a number of actions be undertaken; including that each institution develops...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (9 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 an estimated 44 per cent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: In 2020, my Department will spend over €400m on access measures for students. This includes circa €350m on student grants and related activities, which is expected to benefit over 70,000 further and higher education students I recently announced details of a €168m funding package for the return to education. This includes €15m in IT equipment grants for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: 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. Under the Departments Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer pays tuition fees on behalf of eligible students attending approved full-time undergraduate courses. In order to qualify for funding under the Department’s Free Fees...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (9 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 an estimated 44 per cent...