Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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1173. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider implementing a maintenance allowance grant to graduate medicine students who are on GP or hospital placements outside of their home area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63139/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The principal support available to students is the statutory Student Grant Scheme, administered by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Under this scheme, maintenance and fee grants are awarded to students attending approved courses in approved institutions who meet the prescribed conditions, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment, and means.

Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is an accelerated four-year programme designed for individuals who already hold a degree and wish to pursue a medical career. As GEM is considered a second degree, students are not eligible for support under the Free Fees Initiative or the Student Grant Scheme due to progression criteria.

In addition to the Student Grant Scheme, my Department funds the Student Assistance Fund (SAF), which provides discretionary financial support to students experiencing severe financial difficulty. This fund is administered by higher education institutions and details are available from their Access Offices and on .

My Department does not provide a separate maintenance allowance for students undertaking placements. Issues relating to payment for placement are a matter for the relevant placement provider.

It is worth noting that my Department supports access to Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) programmes through a part-subsidy of fees for EU students. This subsidy is provided via the Higher Education Authority to higher education institutions to offset the cost of provision for EU student places.