Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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My last question is about a matter that occasionally arises at my constituency office. It relates to the student hardship fund that all third level institutions administer. I attended the University of Limerick and Mary Immaculate College. I thought I understood how the fund worked. It certainly helped some of my friends over the years. They were able to avail of it. It got them out of a hold. Some of the money has to be repaid and some does not. I recently gave advice to somebody. It turned out that the way I advised the person was the opposite to how that person's third level institution operated. I then became aware, when I spoke to someone I know in St. Vincent de Paul, that the fund is quite equal but how it is administered is unequal and not regularised across all third level institutions. For the times we are in, in winter 2022, when everyone is struggling with all sorts of bills, it would be no harm to have awareness campaigns on third level campuses. I am also conscious that if one generates too much awareness, this fund, which is for the neediest, could be abused. A bit of refinement is probably needed.

A circular might come from the Minister of State's Department to state how the fund should be administered. On some third level campuses, it is administered by the clergy, such as the on-campus curate or pastor, while on other campuses it is administered by student services or by the students' union. It needs to be standardised. The person I spoke to in St. Vincent de Paul said that, as a support body for people who are struggling, it needs to be able to say exactly how the fund works. Each question I have asked is a bit out of the way. I do not expect answers to all this tonight.