Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 October 2014
20. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the high costs incurred by students undertaking Gaeltacht placements as part of third level degrees. [37918/14]
View answerI can appreciate that supporting a student through third level education can be challenging. The decision to abolish the Gaeltacht Placement grants, from September 2012, has to be viewed in the context of the prevailing requirement to reduce costs and achieve efficiencies where possible. Priority was given to protecting resources for front line education services as far as possible in the coming years, which is especially challenging with rising numbers of school-going children.
To assist with the costs of the Gaeltacht placement, students in receipt of a student grant which includes a 100% fee grant, or who would have qualified for a full fee grant but for the Free Fees Schemes, can apply for funding towards travel and accommodation costs under the field trip element of a fee grant, subject to the normal terms and conditions of the scheme.
Apart from the student grant system, in circumstances of particular need students may apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund.
I am not in a position to reinstate the funding to this area.
