“Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention been drawn to the steep increase in on-campus student accommodation costs in UCD; if he has had any engagement with UCD or the university’s student union on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 17 June]
“Cian O’Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Irish students are being charged additional fees for the Scottish graduate-entry medicine programme based in the University of St Andrews and the University of Dundee which contradicts the memorandum of understanding on the common travel area; the steps he will take to address the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 17 June]
“James O’Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the return of English language schools in view of the reopening of international travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 17 June]
“Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he plans to review the current level of fees for third-level courses …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 16 June]
“Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the process that will be undertaken by his Department for the procurement of antigen tests for third-level institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 16 June]
“Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost to the Exchequer of Ireland becoming a full member of CERN; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 16 June]
“The Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe TD; the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD; and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD have today (Thursday) announced that €75 million of financing has been successfully sourced from the Council of Europe Bank (COEB) for purpose-built Student Accommodation. This is an important plank in the supply expansion being targeted by Government as part of the Rebuilding Ireland initiative and of the National Student Accommodation Strategy …” (more)
[MerrionStreet.ie, 17 June]
“Minister for Higher and Further Education Simon Harris has said the opening of colleges is not contingent on the success of the UniCov scheme, which is a pilot antigen testing programme. Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Harris said the trial scheme will involve 8,000 staff and students taking part in rapid testing over the summer months …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 17 June]
“Mayo Fianna Fáil Senator Lisa Chambers has called on the Minister for Higher Education, Simon Harris to intervene and stop University College Dublin charging €8,059 rent for student accommodation for the coming academic year …” (more)
[Connaught Telegraph, 16 June]
“Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD has today (Tuesday) published the plan for a safe return to on-site activity for September 2021. Higher and further education and training, and research, are essential activities, and the plan for the 2021/22 academic year is for mainly on-site activity for all students, learners, and staff …” (more)
[MerrionStreet.ie, 16 June]
“Large-scale lectures are set to resume as the Government gives the green light for the reopening of college campuses in September. After more than a year of online learning, all students in higher and further education will be back on site in the autumn. Chief medical officer Tony Holohan has told Minister Simon Harris that colleges can prepare for the resumption of maximum attendances, including large-scale lectures …” (more)
[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 15 June]
“A rapid testing and surveillance system has commenced in four universities today in an effort to support the return of third-level students to campuses. Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris confirmed the rapid testing pilot will begin today at NUI Galway, Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University College Dublin (UCD), University College Cork (UCC) …” (more)
[Eoghan Moloney, Independent, 14 June]
“Simon Harris, Minister for Further and Higher Education, said last week that he expects that both staff and students will be back on campus for the next academic year. A new plan is being finalised by the department and is expected to be announced next week. It has been suggested by the Minister that this plan will result in a full return to campus activity …” (more)
[Muiris O’Cearbhaill, The College View, 13 June]
“Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD today (Friday) launched a national public consultation to hear people’s views on the future of Ireland as a world leader in research and innovation. The aim of the public consultation is to develop the next National Research and Innovation Strategy which will build the capacity and capability of the research and innovation system to tackle the big issues facing our country …” (more)
[Merrion Street, 11 June]
“The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris TD, have today (9th June 2021) announced new student rental protections. Under the Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021 any upfront payment upon the commencement of a tenancy will be restricted to a total value that does not exceed two months’ rent ie a deposit and one month rent in advance …” (more)
[gov.ie, 9 June]
“Large lecture theatres, sports facilities, bars and canteens are set to reopen in colleges and universities from September under a new framework being finalised by Government. In addition, students will be given the option to pay monthly for accommodation in case there is a fourth wave of Covid-19. This is aimed at ensuring students and their families do not lose out on deposits or rent, as happened in some cases last year …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 8 June]
“Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris and Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan today (Monday, 7 June 2021) announced funding of €12 million for the second call of the Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation Pathfinder Programme (EEDPP) for the higher education sector – a 50% increase on the first call last year …” (more)
[gov.ie, 7 June]
“Students want recorded lectures to continue when campuses reopen for face-to-face teaching. Strong support for the continuation of recorded lectures emerged in a survey of nearly 50,000 students across 25 colleges. The survey explored the impact of Covid-19 on students’ experience of higher education and the picture painted by their responses was mostly positive …” (more)
[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 31 May]
“Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris has said he expects students and staff to be back on campus for the new academic year. Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Harris said he also expects that most students returning to college will have been fully vaccinated, ‘and obviously staff generally being older than the students should also be overwhelmingly vaccinated’ …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 3 June]
“Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are any refunds or waiver of fees available to third-level students given they have been at home studying remotely for most of the year …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 2 June]
