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Student Support Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 September 2020

Tuesday, 8 September 2020

Questions (867)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

867. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the qualifying criteria that applies to students and the definition of disadvantage being used further to the announcement of a €15 million fund to help disadvantaged students with the cost of information technology equipment. [21971/20]

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Written answers

The Once-Off COVID-19 Grant to support disadvantaged students in accessing ICT devices is part of the package of COVID-19 supports for higher and further education institutions funded by my Department.

This initiative addresses concerns regarding the digital divide in the context of the shift to online and blended models of learning, which were identified by a range of stakeholders in the context of the COVID-19 structures put in place to co-ordinate responses among the further and higher education sectors.

The devices will be distributed by the relevant Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Education and Training Boards (ETBs) via appropriate lending schemes. The education institutions are best placed to determine which individual students should be prioritised to receive a device on a needs basis and within the terms and conditions of the scheme.

In determining distribution of the devices, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are required to have regard to the target groups identified in the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-2021 i.e.:

- Students disadvantaged by socio-economic barriers

- First-time mature students

- Students with disabilities

- Part-time/flexible learning students

- Students who hold further education qualifications

- Students who are members of the Traveller and Roma communities

HEIs and ETBs must be satisfied that students who receive a device under this grant have demonstrated a verifiable need for such a device e.g. they or their family do not have the means to purchase such a device themselves.

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