John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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2685. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether an application has been received by his Department for recognition of a part-time course (details supplied) for the purposes of SUSI grants, in order to support persons of limited means in progressing on their career paths; if such an application has been received, when will it be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44510/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Student Part-Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses is a statutory based scheme administered by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). To qualify for student supports under the scheme, students must be attending an ‘approved course’ at an ‘approved institution’.

The definition of an approved institution is set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 3 of the Student Support Regulations/Student Part-Time Fee Regulations for Specified Undergraduate Courses 2024. Consequently, the inclusion of any new institutions would require myself as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, to have regard to the policies and principles as set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011, and seek the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.

The list of approved institutions is predominantly populated by publicly funded institutions. While there are a small number of private institutions who have certain courses approved on the list, these are categorised as ‘not for profit’ institutions. Apart from the new Technological Universities prescribed under the Technological Universities Act 2018, no additional institutions have been added to the scheme since the passing of the 2011 Act.

As the Honourable Society of King's Inns is an independent educational institution, it does not come under the remit of the Student Grant Scheme and as such my Department has not requested or received an application for the programme in question.

My Department is currently reviewing the operation of the scheme so far, and is exploring further adaptions which could expand this scheme in the future.