Hibernia College is a privately owned online third level educational company which delivers, inter alia, post graduate initial teacher education (ITE) programmes.
The funding to which the Deputy refers is made available to those institutions that receive support under the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). Private colleges operated on a for-profit basis are not approved institutions for the Student Assistance Fund.
It is open to higher education institutions that operate on a 'for profit' basis to use their own resources to provide financial supports to any of their students that they consider to be in particular need.
Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax office or from the Revenue Commissioners website www.revenue.ie.