Jonathan O'Brien
Question:71. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the strategic innovation fund's restructuring of delivery of fourth level education. [20751/14]
View answerHigher Education Schemes
Questions (71)
Written answers
The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) was established in 2006 and projects approved under the Fund were aimed at institutional reform, enhancing teaching and learning, improving access and lifelong learning and enabling the development of fourth level activity. Funding for the SIF from the Department ended in 2012. One of the key objectives of the SIF was 'to prepare for the expansion and development of postgraduate education', and a range of projects were funded to support capacity-building within and across institutions, and particularly to support the development and delivery of structured doctoral programmes. Projects included the IUA Fourth-Level Ireland Network and the Institutes of Technology Research Alliance. These graduate education projects were complemented by a range of other projects which enhanced the research base of the sector, including the IUA's 'Open Access to Research Output', through which the RIAN portal was established; and the IOTI's Research Support and Coordination Office, established to support the growth of research capacity in the institute of technology sector. A listing of all of the SIF projects outcomes and outputs has been forwarded to the Deputy.
Access to Higher Education
Questions (72)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:72. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to widen participation and increase access to PhD programmes for under-represented groups including those from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds. [20752/14]
View answerWritten answers
In the context of the necessary but difficult expenditure reduction measures announced in Budget 2012, new students entering postgraduate courses from the 2012/13 academic year onwards are not entitled to maintenance payments under the Student Grant Scheme. Those who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme are eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit of €6,270. A postgraduate student may qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the costs of their fees. The income threshold for this payment is €31,500 for the 2013/14 academic year, increasing relative to the number of family dependents.
The Irish Research Council, which is funded by my Department, has a broad remit to support and enhance human capital development, in particular at postgraduate and early stage postdoctoral researcher levels, and encourage independent exploratory research. Selection is on the basis of excellence following assessment by expert independent panels. Tax relief is also available on postgraduate tuition fees. Details in relation to this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners. In addition to this, the Student Assistance Fund will continue to be made available through the access offices of third-level institutions to assist students in exceptional financial need. I have no plans to extend the scope of the Student Grant Scheme for postgraduate study.
Student Assistance Fund
Questions (73)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:73. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase funding for targeted access supports in higher education to improve equity of access. [20753/14]
View answerWritten answers
A new National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education is currently being developed by the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education in consultation with my Department. This will include new targets to increase participation by under-represented groups. The Third Level Access Measure provides support for disadvantaged students through two sub-priorities: the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. The overall value of the measure for the 2013/14 academic year is €16.2 million. The Student Assistance Fund, allocated to 31 higher education institutions, provides targeted financial support for students who face financial difficulties during the course of their studies. The value of the Fund was €8.35 million for 2013-14. The Fund for Students with Disabilities provides resources to both further and higher education institutions to enable accommodations and supports to be put in place for students with disabilities on full-time courses. €10.2 million has been allocated for this purpose to-date in 2013-14 academic year.
In addition, the access programmes of the higher education institutions are supported by a core access grant which forms part of the annual, recurrent grant allocation by the HEA to each of those institutions. Over €25 million in core access funding has been allocated to 26 higher education institutions as part of the 2014 allocation. The purpose of this allocation is to support development and implementation of an access plan by each higher education institution as required under legislation. This includes work by the access office of each institution with schools, further education colleges and the wider community. Funding also supports the provision of post-entry supports and services for students with disabilities, first-time mature students and school-leavers from target socio-economic groups.
Student Assistance Fund
Questions (74)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:74. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the value of the student assistance fund for each of the past five years; and the number of students who benefited from same during each of those years. [20754/14]
View answerWritten answers
The following table gives details of the allocation to the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) and the numbers of students who benefitted for the past five years.
|
- |
2008-09 |
2009-10 |
2010-11 |
2011-12 |
2012-13 |
2013-14 |
|
Funding allocation (€) |
5,000,000 |
5,000,000 |
5,012,000 |
9,000,000 |
11,000,000 |
8,350,000 |
|
Number of beneficiaries |
7,776 |
7,681 |
8,301 |
13,347 |
16,721 |
n/a |
2013-14 beneficiary numbers not yet available.
Fund for Students with Disabilities
Questions (75)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:75. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the value of the fund for students with disabilities for each of the past five years and the number of students who benefited from same during each of those years. [20755/14]
View answerWritten answers
The following table gives details of the allocation to the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) and the numbers of students who benefitted for the past five years.
|
FSD |
Number of beneficiaries |
Total Funding Allocated |
|
2008-09 |
3,483 |
11.7m |
|
2009-10 |
4,964 |
12.1m |
|
2010-11 |
6,097 |
13.7m |
|
2011-12 |
6,849 |
10.8m |
|
2012-13 |
7,897 |
10.3m |
|
2013-14* |
9,020 |
10.2m |
*Provisional.
Disadvantaged Status
Questions (76)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:76. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his efforts to increase links between post-primary DEIS schools and third level institutions since coming to office; the number of DEIS schools currently with no links. [20756/14]
View answerWritten answers
The DEIS Action Plan (2005) provides that increased access to higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds will be promoted, in co-operation with the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education. Reports of progress by higher education institutions to the Higher Education Authority, indicate that the majority of post-primary, DEIS schools are linked with the access programme of at least one third level institution in their area. Some of the longer established access programmes have links with at least thirty second level schools (both DEIS and non-DEIS) in their respective regions, as well as with a number of feeder primary schools. Since 2009 the seven universities and nine other third level colleges have collaborated on the development of a Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) scheme as part of the annual CAO process. The objective of this scheme is to target the allocation of reserved places in higher education and other supports for school-leavers from disadvantaged backgrounds. One of the criteria for the award of a place through this scheme is whether a student has attended a DEIS school.
As part of the national strategy for higher education and the ongoing process of reform in the wider education landscape, it is planned that closer collaboration between higher education institutions and other education partners – both nationally and at regional level - will further strengthen opportunities for young people attending DEIS schools to access higher education.
Irish Language
Questions (77)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:77. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of places on Irish scholarship schemes awarded during each of the past eight years. [20757/14]
View answerWritten answers
The following table details the number of places awarded on the Irish Scholarship Schemes for the past eight years.
Number of Irish Scholarships Awarded
|
Academic Year |
Ón nGaeltacht |
Trí Ghaeilge: Teoranta |
Neamh – Theoranta |
TOTAL |
|
2006/07 |
15 |
14 |
17 |
46 |
|
2007/08 |
15 |
7 |
15 |
37 |
|
2008/09 |
16 |
5 |
15 |
36 |
|
2009/10 |
15 |
4 |
20 |
39 |
|
2010/11 |
17 |
7 |
19 |
43 |
|
2011/12 |
15 |
7 |
15 |
37 |
|
2012/13 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2013/14 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Higher Education Schemes
Questions (78)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:78. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reviews that have taken place of scholarship schemes since he was in office. [20758/14]
View answerWritten answers
Scholarship provision was reviewed by my Department in advance of the changes announced in Budget 2012 when five higher education scholarship schemes were replaced with a single new scheme of bursaries awarded on criteria based both on merit and on socio-economic need. The bursary represents an additional support and incentive to recognise high achievement for students who are from disadvantaged families and attending DEIS schools. This change was made in order to make the best use of scarce resources so as to focus on the best performing students in the cohort of those who are most in need of financial help.
Student Grant Scheme Eligibility
Questions (79)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:79. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will commit to not changing the qualifying distance criterion for entitlement to the higher education non-adjacent rate of grant in the future. [20774/14]
View answerWritten answers
The current qualifying distance for the higher non-adjacent rate of student grant, at 45 km, takes into account a reasonable radius within which students may commute on a daily basis. I have not made any changes to the qualifying distance in the 2014 scheme. As the Deputy will be aware, the funding allocation for student grants for future years will be determined in the context of the overall Estimates and Budgetary process undertaken by all Government Departments. It is not, therefore, possible at this stage to predict what changes may be made to the student grants in the future.
Access to Higher Education
Questions (80)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:80. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the level of funding allocated to the national office for equity of access to higher education during each of the past eight years. [20775/14]
View answerWritten answers
The following table shows the funding allocated to the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education for the past eight years. The allocation includes programme funding for the Fund for Students with Disabilities, the Student assistance Fund and provision for staffing and administrative costs of the National Access Office.
Allocation to National Office for Equity of Access for Higher Education
|
Year |
Allocation/Outurn |
|
2013 |
16,200,000 |
|
2012 |
16,200,000 |
|
2011 |
16,000,000 |
|
2010 |
16,000,000 |
|
2009 |
17,984,000 |
|
2008 |
17,984,000 |
|
2007 |
17,319,000 |
|
2006 |
14,975,000 |