Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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107. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if provision can be made whereby students attending courses at a college (details supplied) that are not available elsewhere can qualify for higher education grants or other support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41137/17]

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 2017.

The college to which the Deputy refers, is not an approved institution, for student grant purposes. However, it is open to higher education institutions that operate on a 'for profit' basis, to use their own resources to provide financial supports to any of their students that they consider to be in particular need.

Decisions in relation to the future funding of student supports will be informed by the consideration of the options contained in the Report of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education. As committed to in the Programme for Government, the report has been referred to the Education Committee as part of the process for building political consensus on the most sustainable approach for funding the higher education sector in the future.