Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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109. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps necessary in order to make an appeal to an application refusal for the HEAR scheme; the timeline associated with making an appeal to HEAR; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43709/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) offers places at reduced points to school leavers from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Admissions under the HEAR scheme are regulated by the institutions themselves. Each institution determines its own admissions policy in relation to the schemes, the number of places they reserve and the allocation of those places. The HEAR scheme is administrated by the CAO on behalf of the higher education institutions that participate in the scheme. The number of places vary year to year and are offered on a course-by-course and HEI-by-HEI basis. 

The HEAR scheme has been operated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) and regulated by the higher education institutions themselves and not by my Department. The operational management of HEAR has transferred from the Shared Services Unit in the IUA to the CAO.