Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

305. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has considered supports for persons to change career into a teaching role; if he will consider waiving the rules for grant aiding at a level of study previously undertaken, in view of the particular value of attracting people with wide career experience into teaching; and if he will indicate whether this issue arose in his consultation on the future of support for higher level education. [5630/23]

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

To satisfy the current terms and conditions of the Student Grant scheme, a student must be progressing in their studies.

In general, under the progression/previous academic attainment criteria of the Student Grant Scheme, students cannot qualify for grant assistance or free tuition fees for a second period of study at the same level or for a different course at the same level, irrespective of whether or not a grant or tuition fees were paid previously.

The main objective of this policy is to assist as many students as possible to obtain one qualification at each level of study. The Scheme operates in the context of competing educational priorities and limited public funding.

The Indecon Review of the Student Grant Scheme had some commentary regarding flexibility in the criteria for the student grant scheme in areas of critical skill shortage reflecting graduate entry routes, but did not make any recommendation in this regard.

I have consulted with my colleague, the Minister for Education, who has advised that the recruitment of teachers is a priority area of action for the Department of Education, given the importance of ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have available to them qualified, engaged and supportive teachers to support them in their learning. In 2018, the Department of Education established a Steering Group on Teacher Supply to facilitate multi-agency engagement and to lead on a coordinated programme of actions to support the supply of teachers. Arising from the work of this Group and its various substructures, the Teacher Supply Action Plan was published in November 2018. That Department is undertaking a comprehensive programme to support the supply of teachers. Officials engage closely with school management bodies and other education stakeholders to inform this work.