Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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371. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address concerns (details supplied) with regard to Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI assessments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1446/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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My Department will provide circa €440m for measures to help people to access further and higher education in 2019.

The Report of the Expert Group on Future Funding (Cassells Report) clearly outlines the funding challenges in the higher education sector and offers a number of potential policy approaches for consideration. In order to build a political consensus regarding a future approach to funding the higher Education Sector the then Minister for Education and Skills referred the expert group report on future funding of higher education to the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills for their consideration. The Committee requested that the Department undertake an economic examination of the three policy options proposed by the expert group to assist the Committee in forming its view of the most appropriate option.

In Q4 2018, my Department applied to the European Commission Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP) which provides tailor-made support to all EU countries for their institutional, administrative and growth-enhancing reforms to carry out the analysis of the three policy options identified by the Expert Group. Formal decision-making by the European Commission on projects that have been successful in obtaining supporting is expected by end-February 2019.

Having this evaluation undertaken through the Commission’s Structural Reform Support Programme will provide the type of international expertise, analysis, and objectivity that would be beneficial to a major evaluation of this nature.

Policy decisions in relation to the Student Grant Scheme will be considered in the wider context of the Cassells Report, however, the statutory based Student Grant Scheme and Student Support Regulations continue to be reviewed annually by my Department, following consultation with various stakeholders. Changes to the Student Support Act 2011 are also proposed under the Government’s Brexit Contingency Action Plan; to ensure that eligible students attending colleges in the UK and eligible UK nationals studying here, continue to receive grant support.

It is anticipated that the Student Grant Scheme and Student Support Regulations for the 2019/20 academic year will be published in early April 2019. Students attending college in the academic year 2019/20 will be required to submit their grant application to SUSI (via www.susi.ie) to have their eligibility for grant assistance assessed.

Third-level students who are experiencing exceptional financial need, can also apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Information on the fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.

Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners at www.revenue.ie.