Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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216. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9902/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to thank the Deputy for her question.

The matter raised by the Deputy relates to an individual who worked for a number of years under several short-term contracts with the Higher Education Institution (HEI) in question, before moving to a Contract of Indefinite Duration in 2017. A divergence of opinion appears to have arisen thereafter as to whether the role was classified as an "academic role" or an "administrative role" within the institution.

In 2022, communication took place between my officials and officials of the HEI concerned in relation to the case with a view to bringing this matter to a conclusion.

As a result, this matter was resolved in December 2022 when the individual was placed on an administrative grade and therefore allowed entry to the Single Pension Scheme. When the individual accepted this resolution, the matter had been deemed to be closed.

It should be noted that certain historical pensions schemes of the public service were closed and superseded by The Single Public Service Pension Scheme, which started on 1 January 2013.

The relevant HEI has advised that they remain available to the individual concerned should they have additional questions that they wish to have clarified in their case.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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217. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will engage further with an institute (details supplied) to ensure that courses funded under the free fees' initiative and therefore eligible for the €1,000 reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9916/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy may be aware that the institution to which she refers is not funded by my Department. It does however, receive some targeted funding from the Department of Education.

Budget 2025 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost of education. These measures include a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students that are eligible for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI). To avail of this measure students must be eligible for free fees and attending a free fees approved course. FFI eligible students attending the free fees courses, funded by the Department of Education, were eligible to avail of the student contribution reduction for free fees eligible students in 2024/25.

Independent institutions operating in the private sector, like the one to which the Deputy refers, can establish courses which operate outside of the FFI. Where such a course is established, the tuition fee payable is entirely a matter for the college as an autonomous institution. The Budget 2025 measure to reduce the student contribution by €1,000 does not apply to such courses. However, it is open to the institution in question, as a private autonomous institute, to apply a similar fee reduction, if it so chooses.

Students experiencing exceptional financial need may be eligible to apply for supports under the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) which has been supplemented by a further €10m under the Government’s cost of education supports in Budget 2025. Students experiencing exceptional financial difficulty can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund, including students attending the institution to which the Deputy refers. 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.