Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 October 2016
135. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if degree courses (details supplied) are run in collaboration with private for-profit providers; if eligible students on these courses are receiving both their SUSI maintenance grants and registration fees with departmental approval; the amount of fees paid to these private for-profit providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29581/16]
View answerUniversities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006. The management of their academic affairs, including the selection and delivery of courses are matters for individual institutions. Accordingly, I have no function in relation to any collaborative initiatives that individual institutions may have.
The decision on eligibility for new student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). Eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme.
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 2016. The full list of approved institutions is set out in Schedules 1, 2 and 3 of the Student Support Regulations 2016.
