Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

647. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44827/20]

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

The USI Education for All Campaign covers a wide range of issues including public financing of higher education and student accommodation on which I as Minister and my Department have been actively engaging with USI and relevant stakeholders in higher education.

Throughout the last number of months my Department has been engaging with sectoral representatives including the USI to address the challenges faced by students in this difficult time. I will continue to liaise with the USI and have met regularly with the President of the USI including on one occasion in 2020 specifically in relation to the USI's Education for All Campaign and most recently on 11^thJanuary to discuss a range of issues of concern to students.

Significant additional Exchequer funding of appropriate student supports has been a key feature of the Government‘s approach to date not least in the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic. In this context I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 41789 of 8 December 2020. For example, it is important to note in relation to this issue that under the Free Fees Schemes the Exchequer currently makes a very substantial contribution amounting to €340m to meeting the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate Higher Education students with those students who are required to pay the student contribution paying €3,000 per annum towards the cost of their studies.

In addition, the Exchequer pays the contribution in full or part, through SUSI, for approximately 44% of students eligible for free fees.

As the Deputy will be aware as part of Budget 2021, I announced enhanced SUSI grant supports for post-grads and increased support for the PATH access initiative to increase participation in Higher Education from the most economically disadvantaged students and a review of SUSI to guide the future strategic direction of the scheme. An important objective will be to ensure access to and continued participation in higher education by students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

While the balance of costs and benefits of Higher Education will be considered as part of the broader strategic reform of higher education funding, the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on students and families has been the subject of immediate attention.

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 will receive an additional €250 payment before Christmas;

- 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 latter two options, as outlined above, are designed to ensure students who are not in receipt of SUSI benefit from the measure. It is also the intention that these address circumstances where students are in final year, have paid their contribution fee and may not be on campus.

A key administrative feature of the fund is that it is being implemented with the assistance of publicly funded institutions in the State under the remit of my Department. SUSI and Higher education institutions are in the process of communicating with students on the specific arrangements for disbursement of funds/credits. Information from SUSI is available here:

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.

In relation to the Student Grant and in line with the Programme for Government, I recently announced plans to review the SUSI scheme. The review will commence as soon as consultants are in place. The contract for an external consultant/researcher was published by the Office of Government Procurement on December 18^thand the closing date for tender submissions is January 15^th2021. Stakeholders, including USI, will be consulted as part of the review process and it is intended that the future direction of the SUSI scheme will be guided by the outcome of the review.

The specific issues comprehended in the USI Education for All Campaign will continue to be considered by the Department and, where appropriate, advanced and resourced in the context of ongoing engagement with relevant stakeholders in higher education and against the backdrop of significant cumulative pressures on the public finances at this time.