Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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219. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way he will facilitate greater access to third level education for young asylum seekers as recommended in the McMahon report in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8566/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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A Pilot Support Scheme was introduced by my Department in 2015 for students who are in the Protection System or at the Leave to Remain (but not deportation order) stage. This was one of the recommendations contained in the report by the Working Group on the Protection Process which was chaired by former High Court judge Dr Bryan McMahon.

The scheme provides supports to qualifying students which are similar to those available in the statutory based Student Grant Scheme.

Following a review of the Pilot Support Scheme 2015, the decision was taken to continue the scheme for the 2016/17 academic year. A further review will be undertaken in 2017. 

To qualify for this scheme prospective students have to meet a number of criteria, including a requirement to:

- Meet the definition of a protection applicant or a person at leave to remain stage (other than those at the deportation order stage);

- Obtained their Leaving Certificate;

- Have been accepted on an approved Post Leaving Certificate course or an approved undergraduate course;

- Have attended a minimum of five academic years in the Irish school system and have been part of an application for protection or leave to remain for a combined period of 5 years prior to the 31stof August of the first year of their course .

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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220. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department will offer alternative access points for young asylum seekers seeking to access upper level further education and training and local training initiative courses in future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8567/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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In August 2015 the decision was taken on a pilot basis to provide students in the asylum protection system with access to the student support scheme to ensure that they could continue their education.

 Following a review of the scheme last year, I was pleased to announce the continuation of the scheme for 2016/17.  Under the scheme, students in the asylum protection system who meet certain criteria, including completion of the Leaving certificate and at least five academic years in the Irish school system, who have been accepted on an approved Post Leaving Certificate course or on an approved undergraduate course, are eligible to supports under the current Student Grant scheme on the same basis as EU applicants. The 2016/17 pilot scheme will be reviewed later this year.

A range of programmes within further education and training provision which includes Local Training Initiatives (LTIs) are provided specifically for those who are unemployed and are permitted to seek employment here, for the purposes of labour market activation, and as such are not available to persons not permitted to seek employment here.