Alan Farrell (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports available to ensure that graduates of non-performing industries have the option of returning to education for further graduate or undergraduate studies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35721/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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It is open to any individual to apply for a place on an undergraduate or postgraduate higher education programme in the publicly funded higher education sector and, depending on their previous level of educational attainment and personal circumstances they may be eligible for support under the Free Fees Scheme or the Student Grant Scheme. In general, students who previously pursued a course of study are not eligible for free fees support or grant assistance for a second period of study at the same level. Such students may, however, be eligible for tax relief for their tuition fees, as are students who undertake courses of study on a part time basis. Full details of all supports available to students who wish to return to education are available at www.studentfinance.ie. Information on available tax reliefs for tuition fees can be accessed on www.revenue.ie.

Under the Springboard initiative, 5,800 free part-time higher education places have also been offered to unemployed people to re-skill in areas where there are identified skills needs. Programmes range from level 6 to Masters level and are targeted at participants who have lost their jobs in sectors where employment levels are not likely to recover, even as the economy recovers. Further information is available on www.bluebrick.ie. The HEA has also just issued a tender for the provision of new graduate skills conversion programmes to be delivered in 2012 to address the specific needs of the ICT sector.