Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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43. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria for qualifying for the pilot grant scheme for asylum seekers to attend university introduced by the Government in 2015; the status of its implementation; the number of applicants and the number of successful applicants according to place of residence in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24385/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The 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, I announced my decision to continue the scheme for the 2016/17 academic year and to undertake a further review in 2017.  I expect the current review to be completed in the coming weeks before making an announcement on its future.

To qualify for the pilot 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 31 August of the first year of their course.