Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 246: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if teacher training students will receive a subsidy to cover the expenses they incur during their mandatory teaching practice placement in view of the fact that these expenses are placing an extra financial burden on students. [4461/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The position is that teaching practice is an integral part of the curriculum for the training of both primary and post-primary teachers and, as such, my Department does not provide special financial assistance for students towards costs associated with teaching practice.

The Deputy will be aware that teacher education programmes provided in approved third level institutions are also approved courses for the purposes of the Higher Education Grants Scheme. Under the terms of the Scheme, grant holders who are required to participate in off-campus placement as part of their course of study may have their grant entitlement paid in the normal manner.

Accordingly, student teachers who are eligible for grant assistance continue to receive their entitlements while undertaking teaching practice. My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students which are administered by the Local Authorities and the Vocational Education Committees. The Higher Education Grant Scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for maintenance grants where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to age, residence, means and nationality.

An approved third level course for the purpose of the HEG and the VEC Scholarship Schemes means a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years duration and a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year's duration pursued in an approved institution. The Schemes outline their respective courses which are approved for grant purposes. Any student who is eligible to receive a maintenance grant under these Schemes continues to have the grant paid to them during their teaching practice.

In addition, my Department allocates funding each year to third level institutions under the Student Assistance Fund. This fund is available in order to assist students who may be experiencing difficulties in continuing their studies because of financial hardship. The disbursement of this funding is a matter for individual institutions in line with guidelines issued by my Department.

My Department has no plans to introduce an additional scheme of financial assistance, over and above the current provision, in relation to the training of teachers.