Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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255. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to extend the eligibility criteria of the HEA student hardship fund to private fee paying colleges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22280/16]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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258. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the HEA student hardship fund can be extended to students in private colleges. [22325/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 255 and 258 together.

My Department has received a proposal from the 'Wake up SUSI' campaign to extend student supports, including access to the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities, to students in certain private colleges.

This proposal is currently being considered by officials in my Department, in the context of overall budgetary constraints, and the large number of competing demands on available funding. Decisions in relation to the future funding of student supports will also be informed by the consideration of the options contained in the report by the expert group report on future funding for higher education. I have recently published this report and it will be referred it to the Oireachtas Education Committee as part of the process for formulating a plan for the future funding of the higher education sector.