Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Ruane for raising this important matter. The programme for Government included a commitment to prepare a report on the barriers to lone parents accessing higher education. This was carried out by the National University of Ireland Maynooth which was engaged by the Department of Education and Skills to conduct the review. The review was overseen by a steering committee chaired by the Department of Education and Skills, which included representation from the Departments of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and Children and Youth Affairs and the Higher Education Authority, HEA. There was also consultation with the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.

The key findings of the report around the barriers faced by lone parents included that there is a lack of data on lone parents in higher education. Research has consistently identified lone parents as a group at higher risk of social exclusion, financial exclusion and economic vulnerability. There are a range of financial supports offered by the State to cover the direct and indirect costs of attending higher education. These include supports from the Department of Education and Skills and Higher Education Authority, specifically the student grant scheme, student assistance fund and supports available in higher education institutions; supports from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, specifically the back to education allowance, cost of education allowance, one parent family payment, jobseeker's transitional payment, family income support, jobseeker's allowance, jobseeker's benefit and rent supplement; childcare support schemes from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs; and the housing assistance payment from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.

There are particular financial challenges for lone parents wishing to access higher education. This can arise from the additional costs associated with supporting a family unit, the fact that there is limited support available for part-time study, which is often better suited to lone parents, some differences in the level of support provided to different categories of lone parent, and limited awareness among lone parents of the 'bundles' of supports that are offered by the State.

There is a cross-departmental group in place to respond to the recommendations of the report while the Department has put in place specific measures to focus on lone parents accessing higher education. In August last year I announced €16.5 million for new initiatives to widen access to higher education, with a strong focus on helping lone parents to access higher level education. The Department identified education as a key area to break down the barriers of disadvantage and open up pathways for those who might easily miss out. That announcement included funding bursaries worth €5,000 for 600 students coming from non-traditional backgrounds into college, with support for at least 120 socioeconomically disadvantaged lone parents. This is a €6 million regional call under the programme for access to higher education, PATH 2 of the national access plan funding. The second funding call was to support programmes to help 2,000 students from non-traditional backgrounds, including 200 lone parents, to enter college and successfully complete their course. This will be a €7.5 million regional call under PATH 3 of the national access plan funding. A further €3 million in increased funding was announced over three years for the hardship supports to help students, with lone parents being prioritised

Across Departments there is a further range of supports available to lone parents and other key supports provided by the Department of Education and Skills, including additional funding secured in budget 2017 to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants from September 2017 for the most disadvantaged postgraduate students. In addition, postgraduate students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the student grant scheme are eligible for a maintenance grant of up to €5,915 and the income threshold for this grant is €23,500. Qualifying postgraduate students may also be eligible to have their tuition fees paid up to a maximum fee limit of €6,270. Alternatively, a postgraduate student may qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the cost of fees. The income threshold for this payment is €31,500 for the 2017-18 academic year, increasing relative to the number of family dependants. In addition, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the student assistance fund, SAF. This fund assists students who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Tax relief is also available on postgraduate tuition fees. The SAF has been extended to support part-time students in 2017 and an additional €1 million has been allocated to prioritising support for part-time students who are lone parents.

Students on courses that lead to a higher education award at levels 6 to 10 of the national framework qualification, NFQ, are eligible to apply for SAF. I am mindful that in some cases there can be a presumption that lone parents are more likely to be concentrated at the lower end of the age spectrum. This is by no means always the case. There are lone parents in their 40s and 50s who also want to access higher education and need support. The challenge is broad and wide-ranging. To respond to the recommendations and newer issues as they arise a cross-departmental implementation committee was established by the Department of Education and Skills. The supports that have been put in place and that are being monitored by the committee will ensure that there is positive progress with regard to lone parents participating in higher education.