Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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483. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the instructions, guidelines or recommendations made to institutions participating in the graduate medical programmes to support and facilitate the participation of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds given SUSI is not available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42136/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Entry to medicine in Irish HEIs is provided through both undergraduate and graduate entry routes.

HEIs operate access and foundation courses that act as an alternative means of entry for students to higher education courses. Many HEIs also participate in the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) and Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) schemes which offer places on courses on a reduced points basis to school leavers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and students with disabilities. The operation of HEAR and DARE schemes, the number of places available and which courses are covered is a matter for each HEI.

Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, the Deputy will be aware of the recently announced €168m funding package for the return to education. This package includes a €10m access support package for higher education students. I have approved the allocation of €8.1m of this funding to top up the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). The SAF assists students in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Institutions have the autonomy to maximise the flexibility in the Student Assistance Fund to enable HEIs to support students during the COVID-19 situation. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended.

Additionally Budget 2021 provides further funding to increase support for the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) access initiative, which seeks to increase participation in Higher Education from the most economically disadvantaged students.