Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

315. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will allow for the recently announced €250 payment for undergraduate and postgraduate students to be made available to all recipients as a one-off payment rather than a credit note regardless of whether they are in receipt of SUSI or not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39345/20]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

319. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the recently announced €250 payment for undergraduate and postgraduate students in Ireland to all Irish citizens currently undertaking undergraduate or postgraduate studies in other EU countries will be extended; the details of the cost analysis of same carried out by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39449/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 315 and 319 together.

In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students the Government has approved once off funding of €50m to provide additional financial assistance in this academic year.

The funding, which was provided in Budget 2021, in recognition of the significant upheaval they have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic will offer financial assistance to all EU full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students attending publicly funded Higher Education Institutions (HEI).

The scheme will ensure students:

- Who avail of the SUSI grant, including students studying abroad, will receive €250 top-up in their grant;

- Students who do not avail of the grant but attend publicly funded Higher Education Institutions in the state can reduce by €250 any outstanding contribution fee payments or receive a €250 credit note for their institution;

- In a small number of cases, alternative arrangements will be made for the payment of the monies to students.

The provision of a support package of this scale requires an appropriate process which must adhere to rigorous audit and robust financial controls.

In this regard I must thank the HEA, IUA, THEA, TU Dublin and SUSI for all their assistance in bringing this much-needed support to students in line with these requirements through existing mechanisms. SUSI and institutions will be communicating directly with students on arrangements and information from SUSI is available here:

Additionally Budget 2021 provides further funding to enhance SUSI grant supports for post-grads and increase support for the PATH access initiative, which seeks to increase participation in Higher Education from the most economically disadvantaged students.

This builds on the specific student supports in response to Covid, which I announced in July including the provision of additional student assistance including a doubling of the Student Assistance Fund, and a €15 million technology fund for devices for students in further and higher education to assist with difficulties in accessing technology to facilitate their course work in a blended capacity. These supports are being distributed through the colleges and further education providers.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

316. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount drawn down to date from the student device fund worth €15 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39368/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As part of a package of COVID-19 supports for the higher and further education sectors, my Department has allocated €15 million to higher and further education providers for a once-off COVID-19 grant to support disadvantaged students in accessing ICT devices.

This initiative addresses concerns regarding the digital divide in the context of the shift to online and blended models of learning as a result of COVID-19 and the importance of supporting disadvantaged students to adapt to these new models.

Devices procured using the grant are being distributed by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Education and Training Boards (ETBs) to disadvantaged students via appropriate lending schemes. Almost 16,700 laptops have been procured and shipped as part of a bulk order organised by HEAnet, while additional devices are being procured by some providers directly.

The total amount drawn down to date by the HEA and SOLAS for onward transmission to eligible HEIs and ETBs is €14,964,500.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

317. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount drawn down to date from the €168 million package for further and higher education sectors to deal with the impacts of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39369/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government has provided funding in the amount of €168m to support the return of students to further and higher education for the academic year 20/21. This included €150million in new funding and a re-prioritisation of €18million.

The specific student supports include a doubling of the Student Assistance Fund, and a €15 million technology fund for devices for students in further and higher education.

For the Education providers under the remit of my Department, the allocation includes funding towards Support to Front line response; Immediate ICT costs relating to online provision; Health and Safety Costs; Research costs and funds towards assisting the enrolment of International Students.

Elements of the funding have already been drawn:

- €47million in respect of researchers affected by Covid-19 was granted to the HEA.

- Funding of €15million was provided in respect of a fund for student devices, broken down as €10 million to the higher education sector and €5m to the Further Education and Training sector.

- €5 million was granted to SOLAS for the Further Education and Training sector to meet PPE costs arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic.

- €1.9m in respect of student access measures in higher education.

The final distribution of the funding allocations to providers is ongoing and remaining funds will be will be requisitioned shortly.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

318. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to make the Covid-19 one-off emergency grant of €250 payment payable in cash to all third level students, given the exceptional circumstances experienced by all students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39435/20]

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

321. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which the €250 one-off payment to students will be paid out to students who are not in receipt of a SUSI grant, have already fully paid their student contribution fees and are in their final year of study in order that they will not require a credit with their institutions for a following year of student contribution fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39454/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 321 together.

In recognition of the challenges facing full time third level students the Government has approved once off funding of €50m to provide additional financial assistance in this academic year.

The funding, which was provided in Budget 2021 in recognition of the significant upheaval they have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will offer financial assistance to all EU full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students attending publicly funded Higher Education Institutions.

The scheme will be provided to students:

- Who avail of the SUSI grant will receive €250 top-up in their grant;

- Students who do not avail of the grant can reduce by €250 any outstanding contribution fee payments or receive a €250 credit note for their institution;

- In a small number of cases, alternative arrangements will be made for the payment of the monies to students.

Additionally Budget 2021 provides further funding to enhance SUSI grant supports for post-grads and increase support for the PATH access initiative, which seeks to increase participation in Higher Education from the most economically disadvantaged students.

This builds on the specific student supports in response to Covid, which I announced in July including the provision of additional student assistance including a doubling of the Student Assistance Fund, and a €15 million technology fund for devices for students in further and higher education to assist with difficulties in accessing technology to facilitate their course work in a blended capacity. These supports are being distributed through the colleges and further education providers.