Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

107. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the detail of the proposed measures to provide enhanced postgraduate funding and bursaries to disadvantaged students announced in budget 2018; the additional funding provided; the estimated number of students who will benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44156/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will be aware of the Action Plan for Education commitment to increase financial supports for postgraduate students with a particular focus on those from low income households.

In response to this commitment, additional funding of €4 million was secured in Budget 2017, to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants, from this September, for the most disadvantaged postgraduate students. This will benefit approximately 1,100 post graduate students who meet the eligibility criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant.

The €4 million will cover the cost of this measure in 2017 and has been added to the baseline for future years. The additional €3 million secured in Budget 2018, will meet the rolling cost of the implementation of this measure.

I secured €4.5m in budget 2017 to develop a set of initiatives to support increased third level access. Of this funding of €1m was provided for the 1916 Bursary Fund bursaries worth €5,000 for 600 students coming from non-traditional backgrounds into college, with support for at least 120 socio-economically disadvantaged lone parents. This will be a €6m regional call over three years. The additional €1m was secured in Budget 2018 to meet the rolling cost of the implementation of the new 1916 Bursary Fund.

Other new initiatives supported under new funding secured through the budgetary process of €13.2m include:

- Measures to support 120 people from disadvantaged groups to become teachers, an initiative designed to create strong role models within the community.

- Funding of €2.5m for support programmes to help 2,000 students, of which 200 will be lone parents, from non-traditional backgrounds to enter college and successfully complete their course. This will be a €7.5m regional call over 3 years.

- An additional €1m added to the Student Assistance Fund to ring-fenced for extending fund to part-time students. €3m over 3 years.