Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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570. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will intervene in the case of a person (details supplied) regarding a SUSI grant issue. [18384/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students.

A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course, and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous 1st October. Otherwise, he/she would be assessed as a dependent student, i.e. assessed with reference to parental income and address.

A student’s status for grant purposes is defined at their first point of entry to an approved further or higher education course or at their point of re-entry to an approved course following a break in studies of at least three years, and continues to apply for the duration of their studies.

However, there are points at which a student may reclassify from a dependent student to an independent student. These are where he/she:

- Progresses from further education to higher education.

- Is returning following a 3 year break in studies.

- Is returning as a "second chance" student after a five year break in studies.

The decision on eligibility for student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland).

Applicants who do not meet the criteria to be assessed as an independent student for grant purposes, or who cannot supply the necessary documentation to establish independent living for the required period, may still apply to SUSI to have their grant eligibility assessed as a dependent student. The relevant information, including details of parental income, would be required by SUSI to determine grant eligibility as a dependent student.

With regard to the specific application, I have been advised by my officials that the student has exhausted the appeals process. His appeal was heard by the independent Student Grant Appeals Board on 25 January 2022 and the outcome was issued directly to him.

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 Officer in the third level institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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571. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date that the 2022-2023 round of SUSI funding will open. [17429/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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SUSI’s online application process for renewal student grant applications for the 2022/23 academic year opened on 10th March, 2022. New applications will be accepted by SUSI from April 28th, 2022.

As part of Budget 2022, I have secured an additional €15m to enhance the existing financial supports under the Student Grant Scheme for implementation in 2022.

For the academic year 2022/23 this will mean:-

- An increase to all student grant maintenance payments, including the special rate of grant, of €200 per year which will benefit all students entitled to receive a maintenance Grant. There are currently circa 62,000 SUSI grant recipients receiving maintenance support.

- The income threshold to qualify for the standard rate of student grant has been increased by €1,000.

- The qualifying distance criterion for students to qualify for the non-adjacent rate of grant has been reduced from 45km to 30km, effective from the start of the 2022/23 academic year.

I have prioritised these changes for the 2022/23 academic year and they will benefit thousands of students building on the improvements that have already been made for postgraduate students through this year’s student grant scheme. These improvements to the student grant scheme have been a priority for me since taking up my Ministerial appointment.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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572. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of undergraduate places to be available in 2022-2023 across health and social care disciplines, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17435/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department is strongly committed to supporting the health of the population through the provision of graduates with the key competencies and skills to be effective in the health and social care workforce. My officials are currently engaging with the Higher Education Authority and representatives from the higher education sector on the provision of additional places for the coming academic year. It is the intention that there will be a focus on areas such as healthcare and social work where there is a need for more skilled graduates. Work is well underway on this, and the places created will be sustainable and aligned with medium term planning. A final number has not been agreed for 2022/23 and as such I am not in a position to provide this as requested by the Deputy in tabular form.

In the longer term, the Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support integrated care across the entire health service.

My officials are actively engaging with the Department of Health on determining the longer term skills needs of the healthcare services, and the role which the further and higher education sector can play in meeting those skills needs. I will ensure that there is continued engagement with all stakeholders to ensure that we deliver graduates with the skills necessary to support our healthcare system and support the strategic workforce planning by the health sector.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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573. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the manner in which additional clinical training places are arranged and co-ordinated to create capacity for additional clinical placements in health and social care disciplines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17436/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The provision of clinical placements is a matter arranged by individual HEIs and the HSE and other healthcare providers. My Department does not have a direct role in the provision of placements.

From a nursing and midwifery perspective, there are Local Joint Working Groups (LJWGs) in place across the country aligned to each HEI/University and the associated healthcare partner area. These LJWGs provide the governance for the undergraduate nursing and midwifery training and are composed of representatives from both HEIs/Universities and health service. The LJWGs meet regularly throughout the year and include discussions/negotiations on capacity to increase student intake. If agreement is reached between the partners to increase the intake, the information is submitted to the Higher Education Authority. The HEA and my Department will link with the DoH regarding the proposed increase in student intake. The Department of Health will subsequently liaise with the HSE in relation to required additional supports such as Clinical Placement Co-ordinators. In parallel, exercises are ongoing at LJWG level to source and develop new clinical sites to further enhance the capacity to accommodate additional students.

In the recently published report of the Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery (2022), it is recognised that the projected increase in nursing and midwifery student numbers will require planning in relation to academic, clinical staffing and placements resources.

In relation to the Health and Social Care Professions, the HSE is required to facilitate practice education underSection 7 (4)the Health Act 2004.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and related issues, the HSE has identified critical shortages in practice placements for Health and Social Care Professional students. The focus of the HSE is on supporting practice placement for the domestic supply.

The Health and Social Care Professional education programmes report significant challenges in securing sufficient practice placements for Health and Social Care Professional entry to practice programmes, without which Health and Social Care Professional students cannot complete their programmes, graduate and join the workforce.

The HSE is working with key stakeholders to identify potential solutions and the resources required to address issues relating to sufficient supply of practice placements for Health and Social Care Professionals. The priority of the HSE is to work with the Higher Education Institutes to enable the placements required for the progression of students through their educational programmes and to enable completion, graduation, and registration of the final year students to ensure timely supply of health and Social Care Professionals into the workforce.

My officials are actively engaging with the Department of Health on determining the medium and long term skills needs of the healthcare services, and the role which the further and higher education sector can play in meeting those skills needs. Capacity for additional placements will form part of this conversation, and where additional places in health and social care disciplines are created it will be ensured that corresponding placements are made available. I will ensure that there is continued engagement with all stakeholders to ensure that we deliver graduates with the skills necessary to support our healthcare system and support the strategic workforce planning by the health and social care sector.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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574. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of a 1% increase in medical students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17437/22]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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575. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of a 1% increase in nursing and midwifery students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17438/22]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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576. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of a 1% increase in speech and language therapy students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17439/22]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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577. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of a 1% increase in occupational therapy students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17440/22]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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578. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of a 1% increase in psychology students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17441/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 574 to 578, inclusive, together.

The costs incurred by a Higher Education Institution in increasing student places on a particular course can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the individual circumstances of the relevant Higher Education Institution. It is therefore not possible to definitively calculate the costs sought.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has provided the below estimates, based on 2020/21 full-time enrolments (excluding Non-EU fee paying students), to provide the Deputy with an indication of the potential costs associated with increased places in the courses queried:

- 1% increase in full-time undergraduate medical students has an estimated cost of c.€936,000 - €982,000.

- 1% increase in full-time undergraduate nursing and midwifery students has an estimated cost of c. €710,000 - €745,000

- 1% increase in full-time undergraduate speech and language therapy students has an estimated cost of c.€35,000 - €37,000.

- 1% increase in full-time undergraduate occupational therapy students has an estimated cost of c.€39,000 - €41,000

- 1% increase in full-time undergraduate psychology (UG Honours Degrees) students has an estimated cost of c.€133,000 - €139,000

- 1% increase in full-time postgraduate psychology students has an estimated cost of c.€23,000 – €24,000.

Please note the above estimates exclude any additional costings which may be met by other agencies or departments and that a 1% increase in student numbers may equate to a very small number of additional students places on some of the programmes highlighted.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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579. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department plans to undertake a review of the pay and conditions and roles and responsibilities of personal assistants who work in the further education sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17557/22]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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586. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address concerns raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) in respect of pay scales; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18252/22]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 579 and 586 together.

The Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) provides funding to higher and further education institutions for the delivery of key services and supports for students with disabilities. It aims to support the personal, educational and professional development of the participating students. While historically administered by the Higher Education Authority, responsibility for the Fund in the further education and training sector transferred to SOLAS during 2020. SOLAS provides FSD funding to the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) who manage the funding allocations to PLC further education providers for services and accommodations required to support students with disabilities. Funding can be used to provide a range of supports and accommodations including non-medical helpers such as personal assistants and notetakers.

Need assessments determine the supports and accommodations requested for students and the individual ETB/ further education college is responsible for decisions on the most appropriate support to meet the needs of the student, in accordance with the guidelines issued by SOLAS.

As noted in the SOLAS Guidelines, where an ETB or further education college employs personnel to deliver supports to individual students, responsibility for the terms of employment rests with the individual ETB/ further education college.