Results 1-20 of 274 for carers speaker:Simon Harris

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Lowry for raising this important issue as regards carers. My colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, has increased the income thresholds for carer's allowance such that from June a couple earning up to €900 per week and having €50,000 in savings will still be able to qualify for the full carer's allowance payment. The Minister has also...

Ceapachán an Taoisigh agus Ainmniú Chomhaltaí an Rialtais - Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government (9 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: ...the cost and the availability of childcare. We intend to fast track legislation to include child minders in the national childcare scheme. I want the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys to extend hot school meals to more schools. I want her to make thousands more carers eligible to receive the carer's allowance. I want her to report back before the budget on means tested payments for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2024 (17 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: ...run in conjunction with the Department of Health.For the first time ever, fees for undergraduate part time studies will now be fully funded benefitting eligible one parent families, students with disabilities and carers on low incomes as part of a brand-new pilot programmeContinue the investment in the student grant scheme with increases applying to maintenance grants, adjacent and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Equal Opportunities Employment (12 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: ...their efforts to design inclusive programmes, which include some dedicated programmes that are specifically designed for autistic learners. In some instances these programmes are targeted towards the parents and carers of people with autism. Some ETBs have developed spaces and hubs specifically designed with the needs of autistic learners in mind. Others work with autism support groups,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Costs (19 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: ...and child poverty, it made sense to start at lower income levels, where we are most likely to capture those most in need. I gave consideration to trying to define certain groupings, such as parents, carers and people with disabilities, but then we would need to justify having one group and not another group. We are trying to ensure everyone can access education and that cost is not a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2024 (18 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: ...from cost of living, through the Student Assistance Fund.For the first time ever, fees for undergraduate part time studies will now be fully funded benefitting eligible one parent families, students with disabilities and carers on low incomes as part of a brand-new pilot programme. I believe that the additional investment provided for in Budget 2024 will have a real and positive impact on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: ...;s Allowance and Domiciliary Care Allowance) and the Domiciliary Care Allowance are classified as an “income disregards” and these payments are not included in calculating reckonable income. As the Deputy is aware, carers have been named as a priority group in our new National Access Plan. We will continue to examine supports for all target groups identified in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (21 Mar 2023)

Simon Harris: ...Certificate students (under 23) whose economic or social background are underrepresented in higher education rather than a grant. HEAR currently has no specific entry mechanism for young carers. Young carers can apply to the scheme but, like other applicants they must meet a combination of socioeconomic indicators to be eligible for HEAR. Applications to HEAR evidencing carer’s...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Education (1 Dec 2022)

Simon Harris: ...supports for them - of homelessness and of the criminal justice system; second-chance mature students, migrants and refugees; students who are survivors of domestic violence and students who are carers. As the Deputy may have heard me say, the plan also moves beyond just a focus on access. It is intended to measure not just if people got inside the doors of colleges but what happened...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Rights of People with Disabilities (13 Jul 2022)

Simon Harris: ...public are not being considered at this time. I am aware that fully accessible changing areas and toilet facilities provide more space and appropriate equipment for persons who require the assistance of a carer to undertake their personal hygiene, in safety and comfort and my Department will continue to work with the Office of Public Works (OPW) on upgrading any of our existing facilities,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Grant Payments (15 Jun 2022)

Simon Harris: ..., that will be an opportunity for us to consider it in that context. To be helpful, I want to refer to three things that might be of assistance because the Senator referenced the issue of young carers. If I can take that issue even more broadly, she mentioned that these people might be working for a period of time and perhaps because of that they do not qualify for SUSI. We had a debate...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Grant Payments (15 Jun 2022)

Simon Harris: ...way. The Senator quite correctly referenced the Covid pandemic in the context of how we saw people then accessing education in hybrid manner online. Beyond students with a disability and young carers, there is going to be a huge need from mature students and people going back to education. We cannot on the one hand say go back and do part-time education as it is a great way to do it and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (7 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: ..., up to a maximum of four years. Students in receipt of a stipend can also apply for SUSI grant support. The IRC has taken specific measures this year to enhance the support it provides to researchers of any career stage who are parents or carers. The IRC published a new policy in this regard effective 1 November 2021 which gives postgraduate awardees the entitlement to continuity of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Equality Issues (7 Apr 2022)

Simon Harris: ..., up to a maximum of four years. Students in receipt of a stipend can also apply for SUSI grant support. The IRC has taken specific measures this year to enhance the support it provides to researchers of any career stage who are parents or carers. The IRC published a new policy in this regard effective 1 November 2021 which gives postgraduate awardees the entitlement to continuity of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (30 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: ...need to devote themselves on a full-time basis to their research. The IRC has taken specific measures this year to enhance the support it provides to researchers of any career stage who are parents or carers. The IRC published a new policy in this regard effective 1 November 2021 which gives postgraduate awardees the entitlement to continuity of stipend for approved periods of leave for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (17 Nov 2021)

Simon Harris: ...2 of the Student Grant Scheme 2021. There are over 40 eligible long-term social welfare payments prescribed in the Student Grant Scheme that include such payments as the One Parent Family Payment, Carer's Allowance, Disability Allowance, Farm Assist and Jobseekers Allowance and Benefit where held for a specified period of time. A student may qualify for the special rate of grant provided...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (21 Sep 2021)

Simon Harris: Springboard+ is a targeted initiative which is primarily used to provide funding for higher education courses aimed at meeting the need for in-demand skills in the economy and supporting jobseekers to return to employment. In 2017 the eligibility criteria for participating in Springboard+ was expanded to include Returners wishing to return to the workplace and those currently in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (6 Oct 2020)

Simon Harris: The principal support provided by the Department of Education and Skills in financial terms is the student grant scheme, which makes available means-tested financial assistance to students in further and higher education. Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students on full-time courses who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which...