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

I thank the Deputy. He referred to the student assistance fund which, since the establishment of this Department in July 2020, has grown significantly to north of €25 million. The Deputy will also be aware that the autonomy afforded to our higher education institutions in terms of administering the student assistance fund locally is crucially important. The student services offices in each of the higher education institutions manage the money. They receive the money as a block grant. It is up to them to manage it. They set the criteria. The applications are made to them. They are at the front line dealing with the students. They have the local knowledge and awareness of the students' particular circumstances when they are presenting to make an application to the student assistance fund. It is right and proper that we have invested significantly into that. It is another avenue which is available to students. I think it is managed quite well by the local institutions, and rightly so.

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