Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2009
519 Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Science if there is assistance or help available from her Department or elsewhere to assist a person (details supplied); the locations at which help might be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6122/09]
View answerIn addition to the maintenance grant schemes, other supports are available for students who may be marginally over the income limits. The Student Assistance Fund is designed to assist students who, having commenced a third-level course, experience financial hardship that may render them unable to continue their third-level studies. Applications for funding should be made by the individual student to the Access/Disability Officer in their Institution. The fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis. In addition, the Millennium Partnership Fund has been in operation since 2000. It provides support to students from disadvantaged areas with a view to improving participation and retention in further or higher education. Students may contact their local Area Partnership Companies and Community Partnerships for assistance as they have the responsibility of managing the fund locally. These Funds are administered on behalf of my Department by the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education in the Higher Education Authority and are funded by the Government under the National Development Plan 2007-2013. My Department is currently working with the National Access Office and Pobal in relation to the re-orientation of the Millennium Partnership Fund to support the development of a whole-community approach to equity of access to higher education. In this regard, a consultation process with community partnerships and other stakeholders is currently under way.
