Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the budgetary amount allocated to the student assistance fund which provides emergency financial support to students in order that they can continue their studies will be maintained this year. [40628/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The allocation of the Student Assistance Fund to approved third level institutions is made by the Higher Education Authority, generally in two instalments. Allocations are based on a combination of Equal Access data and total full-time enrolments in the previous academic year (rather than inclusively on full-time enrolment data as in previous years). All registered full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students who are attending approved third level courses in the relevant third level institutions are eligible to apply for assistance from the Fund.

The management of the Third Level Access Measure rests with the Higher Education Authority and the allocation of funding for the various access measures, one of which is the Student Assistance Fund, is a matter for the authority. Some €13.2m is available for the TLAM overall. I understand that the HEA is currently finalising the allocation for the Student Assistance Fund and that institutions will be advised shortly of their individual allocations.