Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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259. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to extend student grants to students who attend private higher education colleges with suitably accredited and recognised programmes. [22327/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Under my Department's student grant scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme.

The definition of an approved institution is set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 3 of the Student Support Regulations 2016.

My Department has received a proposal from the 'Wake up SUSI' campaign to extend student supports 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 for 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.