Results 241-260 of 33,686 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (17 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: Budget 2024 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost of living. These cost of living measures include the provision of one off funding to reduce the student contribution fee payable by higher education students that are eligible for the free fees initiative (FFI), in academic year 2023/24, by €1,000.The reduction will apply to full time undergraduate students...

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

Simon Harris: The chairpersons of higher education institutions are appointed by the governing body of those institutions, in accordance with the relevant sectoral legislation. The information requested by the Deputy is available in the attached spreadsheet. The data provides details of the chairpersons of HEA-funded Irish higher education institutions; the terms of office of each; the number of terms...

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

Simon Harris: For craft programmes, the minimum rates of pay are determined by the industry sector to which the employer belongs. They are not based on the specific skill or trade that the apprentice is undertaking. This ensures that all craft apprentices with a single employer are subject to a common set of gross wage norms. Gross wage norms are either agreed within the relevant sector, or are set out in...

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

Simon Harris: Budget 2024 has introduced a significant number of supports for students to assist with the cost of education. These include post graduate student grants, and additional funding for the student assistance fund (SAF) and increased funding for medical places. As the Deputy is aware, on 12th July 2022 the Minister for Health and I announced an agreement with the Irish medical schools to increase...

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

Simon Harris: The Institute in question is a private body operating from another jurisdiction offering programmes in a private capacity in Ireland. It does not fall under the remit of this Department and I have no role in the matter outlined. Education providers should have relevant policies and procedures in place to enable a learner pursue a complaint surrounding the programme upon which they are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (17 Jan 2024)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy is aware, graduate entry medicine (GEM) is a pathway for degree holders who want to pursue a medical career on an accelerated four year programme.Students pursuing GEM programmes do so as second degree courses and consequently are not eligible for free fees funding. They are also not eligible for funding under the Student Grant Scheme as they do not meet the progression criteria...

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

Simon Harris: I wish to thank the Deputy for her question. We have an all-island apprenticeship programme, the Accounting Technician Apprenticeship, with a second programme, for Accounting Technologists, in development. They are Levels 6 and 8, respectively, on the National Framework of Qualifications. This was a key commitment under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship and I am delighted that we have been...

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

Simon Harris: In recognition of the need to stimulate supply of student accommodation, the Government has supported my Department to develop policy responses to stimulate the development of new and additional student accommodation for public higher education institutions. In November 2022, Government approved investment of €1m in 2023/2024 to support the TUs in conducting activation feasibility...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (14 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department has made significant changes in the further and higher education, research, innovation and science sectors since its establishment in 2020, and has since seen encouraging progress across these sectors over the past number of years. With 400,000 people enrolled in learning across further and higher education, the Department is responsible for a sizeable sector. Learning outcomes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (14 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, I am committed to increasing cross-Border student mobility in tertiary education. I spoke recently at the launch of the ESRI Report on North-South student mobility, and emphasised the importance I attach to this very issue. One of the key issues identified in that report was the CAO points assigned to A Levels, and how the current weighting restricted...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (14 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that Budget 2024 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost of living. These cost of living measures include a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students that are eligible for the free fees initiative (FFI), a scheme which operates within the State. Under the Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the State...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (14 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible 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 eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (14 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: I have been advised by my officials that based on the reckonable income for the reference period of 2022, the student outlined by the Deputy was awarded the student contribution €500 lump sum grant. The award letter was sent to the student on the 14th June 2023. I have also been advised, that the student did not submit an appeal to SUSI Appeals Officer within the statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (13 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: A key strength of the apprenticeship model is that it is a demand-led employer-driven approach to meeting workforce and skill requirements in our economy. As such, the demand for and number of apprentices is primarily dictated by employers in any sector. New apprenticeship programmes are coming on-stream continuously. These are developed by a consortium of employers and education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (13 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: The information sought is set out in the following table. Grade Number of Vacancies Secretary General 0 Assistant Secretary 1 Principal Officer 0 Assistant Principal Officer 6 Administrative Officer 4 Professional/Technical ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (13 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: On 1 January 2021, responsibility for Ireland's research and innovation (R&I) policy transferred from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to my Department. Following extensive stakeholder consultation, I launched Impact 2030 Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy on 18 May 2022. Impact 2030is a Whole-of-Government Strategy and I have provided an electronic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Childhood Care and Education (13 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: I am advised by my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth that the figure of 90,000 places delivered related to schemes operated by his Department and its precursor between 2000 and 2019. The availability of high quality early learning and childcare is a key Government priority. My colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (12 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: Our understanding of the information sought by the Deputy is outlined below. This data was sourced from the Student Records System in the HEA and is contained in the tables below. Undergraduate courses are included in the Free Fees Initiative, the Department does not have information regarding places set aside by HEIs for fee paying students, typically from outside the EU. The Dental Surgery...

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

Simon Harris: My Department is committed to increasing inclusion levels for all by providing high-quality, more accessible and flexible education and training options. This inclusive attitude to learning is supported by a new funding stream that I announced in June 2022, with a €12m investment fund over a four year period known as PATH 4 (Programme for Access to Higher Education). Phase 1 was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (12 Dec 2023)

Simon Harris: As part of Budget 2024 the Government has approved a once off reduction of €1,000 in the student contribution payable by full time undergraduate students eligible for free tuition fees under the Free Fees Initiative (FFI) in academic year 2023/24. Through the FFI, the State has assumed responsibility for compensating institutions for the income previously generated by student tuition...