Written answers

Tuesday, 30 November 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Departmental Funding

Photo of Emer HigginsEmer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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73. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding provided by his Department to support the wellbeing of students which is particularly important given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. [58540/21]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The support and wellbeing of our students is a priority for my Department, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the increased stress and pressure resulting from it.

In 2020, I secured a comprehensive package of financial supports from Government for the higher education and further education and training sectors to mitigate the impact of Covid.

This package included funding of €3m to underpin wellbeing and mental health and student services in our higher education institutions. This was in addition to the €2m funding that was allocated in Budget 2020 and funding that institutions already provide for these services. This funding commitment has been maintained in 2021.

Higher education institutions have been requested to utilise this funding towards student facing services including recruitment of additional student counsellors, training of staff and raising awareness among students of the supports available.

In addition, in the context of the impact of the pandemic on students, I have provided for a doubling of the baseline Student Assistance Funding in the current academic year, bringing the total allocation to the Student Assistance Fund to €17.2m.

The €1.9m Covid-19 Contingency Fund will also continue for the current academic year to support access services. This is ring-fenced funding to meet the wider needs of vulnerable students and target groups.

An allocation of €10 million has also been made to the Mitigating Against Educational Disadvantage Fund for this year. This Fund supports educationally disadvantaged learners in accessing and participating in further education and training. It also enables investment in building the digital infrastructure of FET providers and their online learning capability. This supports online delivery in a way that meets the complex needs of all FET learners, and ensures that these learners have the skills that will allow them to effectively participate in their programmes.

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