Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for those questions. I made similar inquiries about mental health supports this morning. The €3 million in additional funding that we have provided has been allocated to the Higher Education Authority. That body will now distribute it among the individual institutions. I expect it to be used to increase the capacity of the counselling services that are in place in colleges. As I get a breakdown of that, I will be more than happy to communicate it to the Deputy in writing.

Regarding the timeframes for offers and appeals, I understand that the first round of CAO offers will be made on 11 September, with a reply or acceptance date of 16 September. The second round will issue on 23 September with an acceptance date of 25 September. The first and second rounds of offers and acceptances will have taken place in advance of the commencement of the university year.

The issue of registration fees is important. I will consider this in the context of the Estimates. I have commissioned an options paper to examine reductions of the cost barriers to third level education. That will look at registration fees, the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grant thresholds and other issues. In the interim, the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, and I have decided to focus the additional supports on targeted areas like the student assistance fund and mental health supports.

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