Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1702. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to detail the scholarships available for a prospective university student who experienced homelessness as an adolescent and was not under the care of Tusla, therefore making him ineligible for the 1916 bursary and the student assistance fund, as he was neither under Tusla’s care nor in receipt of social welfare payments. [46521/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Thank you for raising this matter with me. It is important to note that the Student Assistant Fund (SAF) is a separate fund to the 1916 Bursary and ineligibility for the 1916 Bursary does not make the student ineligible for the SAF.

As Deputy is aware Higher Education Institutes are autonomous bodies, both academically and administratively, and therefore, the Department is not in a position to intervene in matters relating to individual students.

The best point of contact for any student, who finds themselves in difficulty, is the Access office of the Institution attended, who will be able to provide all the information about services and supports available. The Institutions are the awarding Authority for the 1916 Bursary and any application or appeals issues can be explored and explained by contacting the Access Office of the Institution attended.

However, there are a number of other supports available to students experiencing financial hardship these include:

• The Student Grant Scheme (SUSI), which is available throughout the year, allows for late applications and change of circumstances to be considered.
• The Student Assistance Fund (SAF), which is a non-means tested assistance payment which can be used to help with costs such as: books and class materials, rent and other utility bills, food, essential travel, medical costs, and this academic year has a ring-fenced fund to support those who require help with emergency accommodation. It is advisable for the student to contact the Access office in the Institution that the Student is attending.

Some of the Institutions run their own bursaries and grant schemes and these can be explained by the Access office of the institution attended.

I trust that this clarifies the matter.