Peadar Tóibín
Question:471. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount his Department has spent to date on student supports and grants. [41450/20]
View answerTuesday, 8 December 2020
Questions (471)
Written answers
I have made clear from day one that access and inclusion are at the core of my vision for my new Department.
My Department will spend well over €400 million on student supports in 2020 including the SUSI scheme. As part of Budget 2021, I have secured an additional €20 million to provide for additional applicants, €6 million to expand supports to postgraduate students and an additional €1.5 million to support the most disadvantaged students through the 1916 Bursary scheme. I have also secured a €50 million fund to support full-time students in third level this year.
This is on top of a range of additional supports which have been provided to reflect the particular circumstances of learners affected by the pandemic, including an additional €10m for access supports services, €15m in IT equipment grants and €3m for wellbeing and mental health.