Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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214. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which third level students can access financial support to buy laptops for online learning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22755/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department has recently allocated €15 million of capital funding for a once-off COVID-19 grant to support disadvantaged students in the further and higher education sectors in accessing ICT devices.

The grant is being made available to further and higher education providers, who are using it to purchase devices to support disadvantaged students who are encountering challenges in accessing devices for remote learning. Over 16,700 laptops have already been procured via a bulk order organised by HEAnet.

The distribution of the devices, and the associated terms and conditions, is a matter for each individual further or higher education provider. Students should therefore contact their relevant further or higher education provider for further details .