Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The short answer to the question on the student assistance fund is "Yes". It has increased significantly. It is our firm intention to keep it at least at the level to which we have got it, if not increase it. The purpose or rationale behind it is to provide for exceptional circumstances. If that is for the provision of hardware or IT support for individual students, that is fine. How it works is that each college and student receives an allocation. There is a process within each institution or college for the governance of the money in terms of how one applies and the assessment criteria, which are managed appropriately and locally.

We are reviewing Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, and we have made some changes to it. There has been a small increase in the rates, a minor increase in the threshold and a significant change in the distance for the non-adjacent rate, which will help many people. The review is ongoing. These changes were made prior to the review. I am not pre-empting the review, which I have not seen, but I am sure it will bring forward other recommendations. We have provided for an underspend in SUSI this year, which shows there is not a shortage of funding for eligible students. Considerable work is going on in that space.

We have ramped up the student assistance fund and we intend to keep it there. Will the Deputy repeat his final question?