Results 101-120 of 333 for 5 million speaker:Simon Harris

Covid-19 (Higher Education): Statements (14 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: ..., for the first time in my political career, some Members of the Dáil actually voted not to have me here today for questions and answers. I find that a little bit regrettable, as almost half a million people in this country are in further or higher education. Many of these are first-time entrants to third level and, as a result of this awful virus, some have never had an opportunity...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Contracts (13 Jan 2021)

Simon Harris: ...Contracting Authority for the majority of capital projects delivered in the higher education sector. Based on information compiled by this Department, which relates to capital projects over €5 million only, there have been four projects co-funded by the Department and a further five projects completed without Department funding in the higher education sector since 2010 where...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Fees (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: ...of the school-leaving population is now much more widely available, as reflected in the current transfer rate from second level to third level. The Exchequer currently contributes €340 million to meeting the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate students in higher education. In addition, the Exchequer pays the student contribution for approximately 44% of students at a cost...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Costs (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: ...costs, and we have provided much funding for that. Conscious of the immediate impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our students, I ensured that postgraduate students were included in the €50 million financial assistance fund. The variety of postgraduate courses vary and therefore the experience this year in college is varying significantly.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Student Accommodation (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: ...where privately owned accommodation is concerned. I have made some arrangements to assist students financially in other ways. For example, we have doubled the student assistance fund from €8 million to €16 million. Students facing financial challenges may be able to approach this fund for assistance.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Nursing Education (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: ...information in relation to student grant assistance is available from SUSI’s website, www.susi.ie. The telephone number for SUSI’s Helpdesk is 0761 087 874. My Department will spend well over €400 million on student supports in 2020 including the SUSI scheme. As part of Budget 2021, I have secured an additional €20 million to provide for additional applicants,...

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

Simon Harris: ...with certain social welfare and health service executive payments being exempt. Student grant applications for academic year 2020/21 are assessed based on income earned in 2019. As per Article 22(5)(b) of the Student Grant Scheme 2020, income from an applicant’s employment which represents holiday earnings outside of term time, subject to a maximum of €4,500 can be deducted...

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

Simon Harris: ...In addition, the Exchequer pays the student contribution of €3,000 per annum in full or part, through SUSI, for approximately 44% of students at a cost of over €180m. While Ireland was on Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID all further and higher education institutions delivered the majority of their classes online with only essential activities held on site. While...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (10 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: ...1. Entrants from socio-economic groups that have low participation in higher education; 2. First-time mature students; 3. Students with disabilities; 4. Part-time/flexible learners; 5. Further education and training award holders; and 6. Irish Travellers. The plan also indicated subgroups that require support, including lone parents, teen parents and ethnic...

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

Simon Harris: .... - I have doubled the level of funding available in the Student Assistance Fund for this academic year; - I have increased the level of funding for the 1916 Bursary Fund (also known as PATH 2) to €5 million per annum, which will provide an additional 200 bursaries, bringing the total number for 2021 to 1,000 bursaries for the most disadvantaged students in the country; - I have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (26 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: The Government has provided funding in the amount of €168m to support the return of students to further and higher education for the academic year 20/21. This included €150million in new funding and a re-prioritisation of €18million. The specific student supports include a doubling of the Student Assistance Fund, and a €15 million technology fund for devices for...

Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Statements (19 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: ...to be circulated to Deputies. In regard to our work in further and higher education to provide places to meet the challenge of Covid 19, budget 2021 built on the July stimulus by providing funding for 50,000 further education and training places in 2020-21 and for the extension of the apprenticeship incentivisation scheme for the first half of 2021. The total package of €118.5...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Graduate Support Schemes (5 Nov 2020)

Simon Harris: ...education graduate outcomes in Ireland. In a strengthening labour market, higher educational attainment levels have been linked with higher employment rates. As outlined in the report, persons aged 25-64 with a third level qualification were more than twice as likely to be in employment (86%) when compared to those with no formal education/primary education (40%). Similarly, those with no...

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

Simon Harris: ...doubled the level of funding available in the Student Assistance Fund for this academic year; - I have increased the level of funding for the 1916 Bursary Fund (also known as PATH 2) to €5 million per annum, which will provide an additional 200 bursaries, bringing the total number for 2021 to 1,000 bursaries for the most disadvantaged students in the country; - I have...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Technological Universities (20 Oct 2020)

Simon Harris: ...lead to some big city is a mindset we need to move away from when it comes to access to higher education. On foot of that report, the Government announced in budget 2020 the provision of €90 million over the next three years under a new transformation fund to support institutes of technology to jointly achieve technological university designation. On 7 October I, along with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2021 (20 Oct 2020)

Simon Harris: ...I have doubled the level of funding available in the Student Assistance Fund for this academic year; - I have increased the level of funding for the 1916 Bursary Fund (also known as PATH 2) to €5 million per annum, which will provide an additional 200 bursaries, bringing the total number for 2021 to 1,000 bursaries for the most disadvantaged students in the country; - I have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Minister with responsibility for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (8 Oct 2020)

Simon Harris: ...announced yesterday was an example of how we want to help facilitate that change management and the huge amount of work that needs to be done. On the mental health funding, we have provided €5 million in additional funding, €2 million of which, in fairness, was announced in the last budget, with €3 million of it being new. That €5 million has been given out to...

Seanad: Safe Reopening of Tertiary Sector and Key Priorities for Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Statements (24 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: ...levels of our roadmap for living with Covid. This was, of course, supported by a funding package because funding is important. There are costs associated with this. A large funding package of €160 million was provided by the Government and welcomed by many in response to the additional cost of reopening safely. Last week, in light of the deterioration in the Covid-19 situation in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (10 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: ...in instalments. The state pays the contribution in full or part for an estimated 44 per cent of all students eligible for free fees funding through SUSI. The estimated cost was in the order of €180million for 2019/2020. Student contribution funded by the state is in addition to over €340million paid for student tuition fees in 2019/20 through our free fees...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Fees (9 Sep 2020)

Simon Harris: ...taken several measures to provide students with additional resources to meet the costs they face. We have doubled the student assistance fund, a progressive measure by any standards, from €8 million a year to €16 million a year; introduced the first dedicated technology fund to purchase 17,000 laptops for students; and increased mental health supports by €5 million,...