Results 10,901-10,920 of 45,539 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The development and progression of technological universities is an established policy objective of Government in the context of overarching national strategy on higher education landscape restructuring and this is underscored in the commitment in the current Programme for Government. The 2019 TU Research Network (TURN) Report entitled ‘Technological Universities: Connectedness...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I am conscious of the pressures challenges faced by students regarding 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 Universal Support Ireland (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The Student Grant Scheme, administered by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), provides grant assistance to eligible students attending an approved course at an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. Student maintenance grants are payable at either the adjacent or...

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

Simon Harris: The data provided in the table attached is the estimated number of students that would be affected by changing the SUSI adjacency rates from 45km to 25km. Maintenance Grant Rate Students distance is measured between 25km and 45km Special Rate 2,862 100% Ordinary Rate 3,928 75% Ordinary Rate 225 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 833, 842, 843 and 844 together. The system whereby calculated grades are generated includes a process of national standardisation in which marks and rankings submitted by schools will be examined and may be adjusted using statistical methods to ensure a common national standard is applied. National profiles of achievement at Leaving Certificate level over...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: 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, including the funding of student services, is a matter for the individual institution. All...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: 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. To satisfy the terms and conditions of the scheme in relation to progression, a student must be moving from year to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The assessment of means under the student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources, with certain social welfare and health service executive payments being exempt. In the assessment of means, a deduction can be made for holiday earnings made by the applicant from employment outside of term time but within the reference period. Student grant applications for academic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Protected Disclosures (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The disclosure referred to by the Deputy was received in the Department in May 2017. Following consideration by the Department, it was considered appropriate that the disclosure be treated as a protected disclosure and in that regard, it was subsequently forwarded to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for examination. This is in line with the Department’s protocol in relation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 840, 846 and 852 together. Under the Department’s free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate Higher Education students. Students pay a student contribution of €3,000 per annum which can be paid in instalments. The state pays the contribution in full or part for an estimated 44 per...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: 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.Applicants who do not meet the criteria to be assessed as an independent student for grant purposes, or who cannot supply the necessary documentation to establish independent living for the required period, may...

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

Simon Harris: In July of 2018, the Innovation District Advisory Group was established to develop and agree a vision for the Grand Canal Innovation District. The group included representatives of business, the universities in Dublin, the local community and the public service. The report of the Innovation District Advisory Group was submitted to Government in December 2019 and was published in January...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Functions (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: My Department will be situated in Dublin, Tullamore and Athlone. My functions will encompass responsibility for policy, funding and governance of the Higher and Further Education and research sectors and for the oversight of the work of the state agencies and public institutions operating in those areas. My Department will cover each of these areas. My policy responsibility as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (8 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 of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 851 and 871 together. I appreciate that students wish to know the details of the 2020/21 academic year in order to facilitate planning around accommodation, transportation and other commitments. I have been in contact with the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to request that this information be provided to students as soon as possible. All HEIs have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Unions (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: I would like to thank USI for their detailed submission and proposals on Higher Education. The recommendations outlined in the submission along with other relevant submissions received in advance of budget 2021 are being considered as part of the overall budgetary discussions on higher education provision for 2021. To date significant progress has been made in increasing investment in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Functions (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The overarching vision in Innovation 2020, the current national strategy for research and development, science and technology, is for Ireland to become a Global Innovation Leader driving a strong sustainable economy and a better society. Within this, there is a focus on excellence, talent and impact. Innovation 2020commits research funding Government Departments to ensure that research,...

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

Simon Harris: The development of a sustainable funding model for higher education is essential in light of the centrality of higher education - both in terms of human capital development, research and innovation - to underpinning the future development of Ireland as a knowledge economy against the backdrop of rapid technological change. In that context, a comprehensive economic evaluation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Sustainable Development Goals (8 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: The Programme for Government commits my Department to continuing to work towards the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aimed at ending poverty, reducing inequality, and tackling climate change. As set out in the SDG National Implementation Plan, a range of Department strategies will contribute to delivering Agenda 2030 including the National Strategy for Higher Education to...

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

Simon Harris: The cost of each student enrolled as an undergraduate student will vary across institutes and disciplines. For example laboratory based disciplines ( science, engineering, etc ) will have a greater cost than non-lab disciplines (arts, business, etc). Health related disciplines (e.g. medicine and dentistry) will be significantly higher than non-lab disciplines. An average cost for an...