Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

444. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Student Grants Appeals Board has no memorandum of association or formally agreed operating procedures; and if he will work with the current board to put one in place before the change of board in September 2021. [32933/21]

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

445. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will meet the current Student Grants Appeals Board before September 2021 to discuss its work and to ensure it will continue to operate with a similar ethos as the current board. [32934/21]

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

446. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will allow the Student Grant Appeals Board as an independent entity to source its own legal opinion and provide the funds to do so rather than relying upon his Department to provide legal advice. [32935/21]

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

447. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that no call has been published to appoint new Student Grant Appeals Board members and that there is serious concern on behalf of some board members that further delay will make transfer to a new board in time for the September 2021 hand-over challenging; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32936/21]

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

448. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the frequency with which there has been engagement between the Student Grant Appeals Board and the responsible Minister, Secretary General or Assistant Secretary General in the past five years. [32937/21]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 444, 445, 446, 447 and 448 together.

The Student Grant Appeals Board (the Board) was established under Section 25 of the Student Support Act 2011 and under Section 21(4)(a) is independent in the performance of its functions.  The current Board comprises of a Chairperson and 10 ordinary members.

Under Section 25(14) of the Act, administrative support may be furnished to the Board as necessary, this includes access to legal advice.

Updated Terms of Reference for the Student Grant Appeals Board were finalised by my Department in March 2019 and presented to the Board. 

The term of office of the Appeals Board is for 5 years and the current Board is due to be replaced in September 2021.  The Public Appointments Service is the centralised provider of recruitment, assessment and selection services for the Civil Service. The Public Appointments Service also aims to provide an open, efficient and effective gateway and process to identify top quality people for consideration by Ministers for appointment to State Boards. Vacancies to the Board will be informed to the public through the website www.stateboards.ie prior to end of June 2021.

Since my appointment in June 2020, I have not met with the Board, however the Board have been requested to submit a report of its activities for 2020 for review, as set out under Section 27 of the Act.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

449. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the grants or other financial supports available to PhD students undertaking research; the options open to students who have been unsuccessful in their application to the Irish Research Council for funding; the options open to a student who requires urgent funding at a critical stage of their PhD; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32943/21]

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

The Irish Research Council (IRC) Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship provides outstanding students with the opportunity to direct their own research at the early-career stage, working with a supervisor, in their chosen area of interest. The Programme is highly competitive, with an average success rate of 18% over the past five years. All applications received under the IRC programmes are assessed by independent international reviewers, and on a competitive basis. Awards under the IRC Programme are intended to support suitably qualified research master’s and doctoral candidates pursuing, or intending to pursue, full-time research in any discipline. Unsuccessful applicants are permitted to apply twice to each of the Irish Research Council’s postgraduate programmes.

An applicant who is a new entrant to the postgraduate degree for which they are seeking funding is entitled to apply for funding for the full duration of the degree. For applicants who have already completed part of the postgraduate degree for which they are seeking funding, the duration of funding to be awarded, if successful, is dependent on the type of degree being pursued and the date of first registration.

Other support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme administered by SUSI. The Student Grant Scheme supports eligible postgraduate students with the cost of attending higher education. Budget 2021 provided for enhanced postgraduate supports from the 2021/22 academic year including the fee grant amount rising from €2,000 to €3,500 and the income threshold for eligibility for these grants increasing from €31,500, now €54,240. This is an initial step in meeting part of the Government’s commitments regarding SUSI grant support. This increase will allay some of the costs for postgraduate study and give greater certainty for students in terms of supports.

Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Information on the fund is available through the Access Office in the third level institution attended, and is administered on a confidential discretionary basis.

The postgraduate office within the higher education institution would also be able to advise on funding supports.