John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when he will restore financial supports for postgraduate students; to what level he intends on restoring the funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22920/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government contains a commitment to increase financial supports for postgraduate students with a particular focus on those from low income households.

The options for progressing this commitment are currently under consideration in my Department within 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.