Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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169. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reintroduce financial support for student primary teachers in respect of attendance at a mandatory course (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42246/17]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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170. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reintroduce financial support for students of primary teaching for the mandatory Gaeltacht course (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42255/17]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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171. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reinstate support for student primary teachers towards the cost of mandatory Gaeltacht courses (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42256/17]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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173. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reinstate the support subsidies for primary school teachers who undertake residential Gaeltacht courses as part of their teacher training that were cut in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42272/17]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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174. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to restore subsidies for student teachers attendance at mandatory Gaeltacht courses which would help to alleviate the burden of these expenses on students. [42274/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 169, 170, 171, 173 and 174 together.

The decision to stop the Gaeltacht placement grants was taken during the economic crisis when, unfortunately, very difficult decisions had to be made to stabilise the nation's finances. Priority was given to protecting resources for front line education services as far as possible, which remains particularly challenging with rising numbers of school-going children. My Department does not have the funding available to restore this support.

It should be noted that, to assist with the costs of the Gaeltacht placement, students who are in receipt of a student grant which includes a 100% fee grant, or who would have qualified for a full fee grant but for the Free Fees Schemes, can apply for funding towards travel and accommodation costs under the field trip element of a fee grant, subject to the normal terms and conditions of the student grant scheme.

Apart from this, in circumstances of particular need, students may apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. Information in relation to this fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended.