Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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999. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of SUSI applications submitted for dependents under 23 years of age that applied for irreconcilable estrangement from parents; and the number of applications granted regarding estrangement from parents in each of the years 2017 to 2022, in tabular form [12449/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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For student grants 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 mature student if he or she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course or of re-entry following a break in studies of at least three years and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous October. Otherwise he or she would continue to be assessed on the basis of parental income.

Only in exceptional cases, where compelling evidence of estrangement from parents/guardians is provided, can candidates who are under 23 be assessed without reference to their parents/guardians income or address, Article 21(3) (b) of the Scheme refers.

The assessment of a case of estrangement is carefully considered to ensure there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the exceptional circumstances pertaining in such cases genuinely exists. Cases of genuine estrangement are relatively rare and almost always will involve exceptional circumstances unique to a particular family situation. The scheme does not stipulate precisely how an awarding authority satisfies itself that such circumstances prevail. This is to allow the awarding authority sufficient flexibility to assess the evidence of irrevocable estrangement in each individual case. The type of documentary evidence required is dependent on the applicant's individual circumstances.

Please see below for the number of applicants who applied for a SUSI grant stating estrangement from 2016/17 to 2022/23.

*Please also note that figures for the 2022/23 academic year are likely to change as processing is ongoing.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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1000. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the provision of a new loan scheme for medical students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12497/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department does not have a role in relation to loans which might be offered by lenders to students for particular purposes. This is a matter between the relevant lenders and the students applying for such loans.

In May 2022 the Government approved Funding the Future – a landmark policy on the future of higher education. The Government has decided that the funding model for higher education will continue to be a mixed one, comprising funding streams from the Exchequer, employer contributions and student contributions. Student loans, which were proposed in the Cassells report, will not form part of the funding model through my Department.

Notwithstanding the above, I am acutely conscious of the challenges facing students and the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address cost as a barrier to education. Entry to medicine in Irish higher education institutions is provided through both undergraduate and graduate entry routes.

Funding supports are available to assist students attending undergraduate medicine courses including:

- First time undergraduates, including medical students, may be eligible to have their tuition fees, exclusive of the student contribution, paid on their behalf via the Department's Free Fees Initiative. In addition, students can apply to SUSI for supports towards the student contribution and also maintenance grants.

- Students pursuing Graduate Entry programmes, including Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM), do so as second degree courses and consequently are not eligible for free fees funding or for student grants. However, in order to widen access to GEM programmes, the fees of participating EU students are partly subsidised by the State via supports to higher education institutions, with the balance of fees, as determined by the institution attended, payable by the student.

- First time undergraduate and graduate entry students may also apply to the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) for financial support. This Fund provides financial support to full and part-time students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college and can provide assistance towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. Applications can be made to this Fund through the Access Office in a student’s higher education institution.

- In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may also be available in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax Office or from the Revenue Commissioners website, www.revenue.ie.

Within the framework of ‘Funding the Future’, my Department has been working to address the cost of provision of Graduate Entry Medicine by increasing the subsidy paid to higher education institutions. It has been agreed that the State contribution towards Graduate Entry Medicine places will gradually be increased over a multi-annual period from a rate of €11,950 per student in the 2021/22 academic year to a new rate of €14,500. The balance of fees, as determined by the institution attended, will remain payable by the student.