Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1180 and 1198 together.

The Department does not provide direct supports to students in the agricultural colleges.

We do provide Teagasc with significant grant aid annually to support the delivery of research, advisory and education services to the agricultural sector. The amount allocated this year is €144.6m. The distribution of this funding is an operational matter for Teagasc and its governing Authority.

I am advised by Teagasc that the total budgeted expenditure for its Educational Programme this year is €18.5m of which €14.1m comprises exchequer Grant Aid with the balance of €4.4m earned from course fees and farming operations etc.

In terms of student supports, Teagasc provides a Student Maintenance Grant to eligible students taking full-time education courses in the Agricultural Colleges. It is paid directly through Teagasc and mirrors the National Student Grant Scheme in the higher education sector.

Further details are available on the Teagasc website at www.teagasc.ie/education/going-to-college/student-maintenance-grants/. Interested persons can also contact their local Teagasc education officer for further advice.

Teagasc further advise that student fees for its part-time and full-time course are subsidised.

Eligible students can also qualify for a fee waiver for the Quality and Qualification Ireland (QQI) element of the course fee valued at €130 for a two-year programme. This waiver is available to social welfare recipients and or/medical card holders and is implemented as part of the online application process.

Teagasc operates a laptop scheme to provide disadvantaged learners (full-time) with the use of a laptop on a loan basis where they met specific criteria such as eligibility for Farm Assist payments, disability payments, Back to Education allowances etc.