Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

236. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of any proposals that have been considered by her Department to introduce a State-funded education or maintenance loan system for third level students from 1 March 2011 to the present date; the content of any expert advice that has been received by her Department on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10976/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Following discussions with my Department, with support and advice from the National Treasury Management Agency, a specific loan initiative was introduced by Bank of Ireland in 2012 to provide finance for fees and living costs for postgraduate students. While developed in conjunction with the Department of Education and Skills, it is a Bank of Ireland product and further information on the terms and conditions of the loan is available from the bank.

The Deputy will also be aware that an Expert Group is currently examining future funding options for higher education. The objective is to identify a range of approaches that, combined, will achieve a sustainable funding base to address the continual expansion of the sector while protecting the quality of education.

I understand that the Group intends to undertake a series of stakeholder consultations during the course of its work. As an interim report, the Group published a discussion paper on the role, value and scale of higher education last month and this is informing the first set of consultations. The paper is available on my Department's website at .

I expect to receive the Group's report before the end of 2015.