Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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79. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of restoring the grant given to student primary teachers on a Gaeltacht placement. [10685/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Arising from budgetary considerations and the Comprehensive Expenditure Review carried out in 2011, it was decided that this grant would cease for new entrants - both at undergraduate and postgraduate level - from the 2012/13 academic year.

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. 

The annual cost of fully funding the reconfigured Gaeltacht Placement for 1,200 student teachers would be in the region of €1.8m.

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.