John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)

I thank the Senator for raising the issue of the need for the Minister for Education and Skills to make a statement on the future of the important third level scholarship schemes known as the unlimited, limited, Gaeltacht, Easter week and Donogh O'Malley scholarships. I am grateful to have the opportunity to outline the changes to the schemes and refer to the introduction of the new bursary scheme.

As the Senator is aware, in addition to the student grants scheme, the Department of Education and Skills also operates a number of scholarship schemes to assist students at third level. Each year undergraduate scholarships are available from the Department through five scholarship schemes, namely, the Easter week 1916 commemoration scholarship scheme, an scéim scoláireachtaí tríú leibhéal do scoláirí on nGaeltacht, an scéim scoláireachtaí Gaeilge tríú leibhéal (neamh theoranta), an scéim scoláireachtaí tríú leibhéal (trí Ghaeilge: teoranta) and the Donogh O'Malley scholarship scheme.

The total number of new students awarded scholarships under the five scholarships schemes for the 2011-12 academic year was 60. The value of the Easter week and Donogh O'Malley scholarships in the 2011-12 academic year is €6,053. The three Irish scheme scholarships are awarded at two rates, the adjacent and non-adjacent rates which for the 2011-12 academic year are €1,230 and €3,067, respectively. The total allocation for these schemes in the 2012 financial year is some €1.7 million.

The Senator has referred to a commitment announced in budget 2012 to replace the five scholarship schemes for higher education with a new scheme of bursaries. The current scholarships, with one exception, were awarded without the application of socioeconomic criteria. The new bursaries, on the other hand, are designed specifically to target students attending DEIS schools in disadvantaged areas and also indicating a level of personal or family disadvantage by virtue of having qualified for a medical card. Awards will be made regionally on the basis of the leaving certificate examination results achieved by the students. The awards under the new scheme will be fixed at €2,000 per student per year and recipients will also be entitled to apply for student grants towards the cost of maintenance and the student contribution or fees. The bursary will be an extra support and incentive to recognise high achievement for such students.

It is envisaged that some 60 students will receive a bursary this September. This number will rise in each of the next three years, with over 350 students a year benefiting by 2015. This change has been made to make the best use of scarce resources so as to focus on the best performing students in the cohort of those most in need of financial help.

The bursaries will include a small number focused on students who undertake studies in the STEM areas. These bursaries will be named the Walton bursaries after Mr. Ernest Walton, Ireland's only Nobel laureate in science and the man who, with Mr. John Cockcroft, became the first person to split the atom. We hope they will help to ensure a new generation of Irish people will strive to replicate his achievements. These changes will not impact on those who already hold scholarships under the existing schemes.