Written answers

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Grant Payments

Photo of Rose Conway-WalshRose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

674. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the manner in which the additional €1 million added to the Student Assistance Fund in 2018 as an exceptional basis to support teacher supply for professional master's in education courses was used including a breakdown by institution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52382/21]

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

The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) provides financial assistance to students experiencing financial difficulties while attending third level. Students can be assisted towards costs such as rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. Students on full or part-time courses leading to a higher education award (NQF level 6-10) in the universities, institutes of technology and other approved colleges can apply for the SAF. The core allocation for the SAF is €9.1 million per annum and supports circa 14,000 students. This includes €1 million which was added to the fund in 2017 for part-time students who are lone parents or members of the other access target groups. Prior to that the fund supported full-time students only.

An additional €1 million was added to the fund in 2018 for students attending Professional Masters of Education (PME) courses, who are experiencing financial difficulty. This additional funding was also made available for the 2019/20 year and again in 2020/21. The additional funding provided to students on PME programmes helped to alleviate some of the costs associated with undertaking a PME course. Students on PME courses face particular costs unique to their studies e.g. accommodation and travel costs associated with Gaeltacht placement, school placement costs and course materials.

Effective for the 2021 Student Grant Scheme I announced enhanced postgraduate supports which saw the fee grant amount rising from €2,000 to €3,500 and the income threshold for eligibility for these grants will also rise, up from €31,500, now €54,240. The increase in fee grant will allay some of the costs for postgraduate study and will give greater certainty for students in terms of supports. In addition to the increase in the fee grant, the income thresholds for postgraduate students were increased from a postgraduate threshold of €31,500 to €54,240 in 2021; which is currently the highest income threshold at undergraduate level. This measure removed the need to continue with the ring-fenced funding under SAF for PME courses in 2021.

Please find below the 2018/19 SAF allocation for PME students by HEI as provided by the HEA.

HEI
2018/19 SAF allocation for PME students
CIT 17,326.73
DCU 159,405.94
LIT 9,900.99
Marino Institute 62,871.29
MIC 63,366.34
MU 157,425.74
NCAD 16,831.68
NUIG 155,940.59
TCD 58,415.84
UCC 104,950.50
UCD 126,237.62
UL 67,326.73
Total €1,000,000

I have also attached a breakdown of the 2018/19 SAF recipient data for PME students by HEI for your information.

Below please find 2018/19 SAF recipient data for PME students by HEI:

2018-19 SAF recipient data
PME breakdown
Full Time
Part Time
BMW
Female
Male
Female
Male
Total
Athlone Institute of Technology
0
0
0
0
0
Dundalk Institute of Technology
3
0
0
0
3
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
0
0
0
0
0
Letterkenny Institute of Technology
0
0
0
0
0
National University of Ireland, Galway
79
37
0
0
116
Institute of Technology, Sligo
0
0
0
0
0
St Angelas College
0
0
0
0
0
BMW Total
82
37
0
0
119
S&E
Female
Male
Female
Male
Marino College
11
3
0
0
14
Cork Institute of Technology
3
3
0
0
6
Dublin City University
30
8
0
0
38
Dublin Institute of Technology
0
0
0
0
0
Institute of Art, Design & Technology
0
0
0
0
0
Institute of Technology Blanchardstown
0
0
0
0
0
Institute of Technology Carlow
0
0
0
0
0
Institute of Technology Tallaght
0
0
0
0
0
Institute of Technology Tralee
0
0
0
0
0
Limerick Institute of Technology
8
0
0
0
8
Mary Immaculate College
41
0
1
0
42
National College of Art and Design
15
2
0
0
17
National College of Ireland
0
0
0
0
0
Maynooth University
48
15
0
0
63
Pontifical University, Maynooth
2
0
0
0
2
RCSI
0
0
0
0
0
Trinity College Dublin
7
2
0
0
9
University College Cork
41
13
0
0
54
University College Dublin
10
2
0
0
12
University of Limerick
11
21
0
0
32
Waterford Institute of Technology
0
0
0
0
0
S&E Total
227
69
1
0
297
Overall Totals
309
106
1
0
416

Photo of Rose Conway-WalshRose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

675. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline all changes to the student grant scheme in 2021-2022 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52383/21]

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

The Student Grant Scheme, administered by SUSI, provides grant assistance to students pursuing an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. It assists over 70,000 students annually to access third level education.

The changes to the Student Grant Scheme 2021, which relates to the 2021/22 academic year, were as follows:

- the income threshold for postgraduate students was increased from €31,500 to €54,250 and the fee grant contribution increased from €2,000 to €3,500;

- The following payments were included as income disregards therefore these additional payments will not be included in the calculation of reckonable income for 2021/22:

- Fuel Allowance; Living Alone Allowance; Dormant Account Funding for Traveller Participation in HE; Pandemic Placement Grant for Student Nurses and Midwives and the COVID-19 Once-off Emergency Grant.

- Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds was included as an eligible payment for the special rate of grant;

- Irish Research Council - Postgraduate Stipend Increase - the value of the stipend amount provided for in the student grant scheme was increased to €18,500 in order to align it with the increase announced in January 2021;

- Provision was made for those students affected by the Calculated Grades for Leaving Certificate Students 2020.

Apart from the student grant and dedicated access supports, it is important to note the range of additional supports which have been put in place for students as part of Budget 2021 and as part of the Government's COVID return to education packages in 2020 and 2021:

- The level of core funding available in the Student Assistance Fund for 2020 and 2021 was doubled;

- €1.9m in the form of a once-off COVID-19 contingency fund to enable HEIs deliver local COVID-19 responses to support disadvantaged students in 2020 and 2021;

- The level of funding for the 1916 Bursary Fund (also known as PATH 2) increased to €5.2 million per annum, which will provide bursaries for the most disadvantaged students within National Access Plan target groups inthe country;

- An additional €20 million in funding for SUSI in 2021 to cover increased applications to the scheme;

- €6 million allocated to enhance SUSI support for postgraduates;

- €15 million scheme in 2020 to support access to laptops and digital devices

- Separate capital funding has issued to HEIs in the form of an IT equipment grant and minor works grants, these can be used to address laptop and digital device requirements for students in 2021.

- €50 million was provided financial assistance to full time third level students in recognition of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on this group.

- €300,000 has been secured through the Dormant Accounts Fund for targeted supports to address the implications of COVID-19 on Traveller participation in higher education.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.