Results 361-380 of 33,686 for speaker:Simon Harris in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: In the Pipefitting Apprenticeship programme the current class capacity for Phase 4 training is 14 persons and for Phase 6 training it is 16 persons.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department is strongly committed to supporting the health and welfare of the population through the provision of graduates with the key skills to be effective in the health workforce, and to support a range of teams in our health services The part time scheme announced by the Minister is a pilot scheme which is aimed at eligible undergraduates in the first instance. It will need to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: I have been advised by my officials that the student referred to by the Deputy in Question No. 594 of 10th October 2023 was awarded a Postgraduate Fee Contribution of €4,000 on the 6th June 2023 by the awarding authority. The Student Grant Scheme makes provision for combining periods of Pandemic Unemployment Payment, Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit and other eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: While I cannot comment on an individual case, I can advise the Deputy that there are a broad range of measures intended to support and facilitate apprentice progression to a successful conclusion. These are broad measures available to all, as well as some targeted interventions intended to provide additional support to groups who may experience particular barriers and challenges in accessing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: As I advised in an earlier response, given the passage of time, both the projects and the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have evolved. You will also be aware, there have been a number of mergers of Institutes of Technology to form Technological Universities. Projects in HEIs are generally institution led with a high level of autonomy for each institution to change their priorities as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1416 and 1417 together. There are 11 projects being progressed through the PPP programme. Bundle one, consisting of six projects, has commenced construction. There are five projects in Bundle two, two of which are for South East Technological University (SETU) – 1 at Waterford campus and 1 at the Carlow campus that are currently at tender stage. The new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Reform (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Ensuring a supply of qualified vets and pharmacists to meet the demands of Ireland's agri-food and healthcare sector is an important issue for my Department. Higher Education Institutions are academically autonomous when it comes to decisions on the courses they provide, and do not require the approval of my Department to launch a new programme in either of these disciplines. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: I welcome the recent announcement by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Housing Finance Agency (HFA) which will provide additional financing investment of €434m student accommodation to support higher education institutions in the development of affordable student housing. The new scheme, backed by a forty-year €200m EIB loan, is expected to support the delivery of an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: The Government has delivered a university presence to the South East spanning four campus locations for the first time in the history of the State. The South East Technological University (SETU) established on 1 May 2022 is the third largest technological university and enables students in the South East to study and gain qualifications at all levels of the NFQ, up to and including doctoral...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1421, 1424, 1425, 1426, 1427, 1428, 1429, 1430, 1431 and 1432 together. The information requested by the Deputy is presently being compiled by SOLAS. An answer will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: The information requested by Deputy Gould is set out in the attached table. Capital Available in 2021 Capital Available in 2022 Capital Available from January to October 2023 CORK ETB € 1.2m € 2.7m € 1.6m CITY OF DUBLIN ETB € 0.98m € 1.3m €...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: As of the end-October 2023, the total population of apprentices is 26,864. Of this, 22,467 are participating on craft-based apprenticeships while a further 4,397 are participating in consortia-based apprenticeships. Detailed information requested by Deputy Gould is set out in the attached table.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: Awaiting reply from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department provides grant funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to be used to meet the general running expenses of the authority. The information requested by the Deputy is attached including the Oireachtas grant funding provided via the (then) Department of Education and Skills in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 prior to the establishment of my Department. Please note the 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (7 Nov 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 Student Grant Scheme provides maintenance grants to eligible undergraduate students pursuing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Official Travel (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: As part of the Team Ireland Trade Mission to South Korea, I led the Tertiary Education, Research, Innovation and Science mission. I visited Seoul National University on Friday 3 November along with a delegation of academics from a number of Irish higher education institutions including UCD, TCD, Maynooth University and TU Dublin. I toured the campus and met with an Irish student undertaking...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (7 Nov 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 those higher education students who are eligible for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI). Under the FFI, the State provides funding, exclusive of the student contribution, toward...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (7 Nov 2023)

Simon Harris: There is scope for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to include actions targeting gender under-representation in institution-level gender equality action plans, which are required at institutional level to receive funding from the European Commission under Horizon Europe, or have been developed through HEI participation in the Athena Swan Ireland gender equality charter. HEI...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (26 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: There are a broad range of measures intended to support and facilitate apprentice progression to a successful conclusion. These are broad measures available to all, as well as some targeted interventions intended to provide additional support to groups who may experience particular barriers and challenges in accessing and completing their apprenticeship programmes. While attending...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (26 Oct 2023)

Simon Harris: The capital allocations for my Department for the years 2022, 2023 and the expected allocation for 2024 are provided in the attached document. These are based on the revised National Development Plan (NDP) which was published on 4 October 2021. This confirms the capital ceilings for all Government Departments for the five year period 2021 - 2025. In addition to higher education...