Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021
674. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the manner in which the additional €1 million added to the Student Assistance Fund in 2018 as an exceptional basis to support teacher supply for professional master's in education courses was used including a breakdown by institution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52382/21]
View answerThe Student Assistance Fund (SAF) provides financial assistance to students experiencing financial difficulties while attending third level. Students can be assisted towards costs such as rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. Students on full or part-time courses leading to a higher education award (NQF level 6-10) in the universities, institutes of technology and other approved colleges can apply for the SAF. The core allocation for the SAF is €9.1 million per annum and supports circa 14,000 students. This includes €1 million which was added to the fund in 2017 for part-time students who are lone parents or members of the other access target groups. Prior to that the fund supported full-time students only.
An additional €1 million was added to the fund in 2018 for students attending Professional Masters of Education (PME) courses, who are experiencing financial difficulty. This additional funding was also made available for the 2019/20 year and again in 2020/21. The additional funding provided to students on PME programmes helped to alleviate some of the costs associated with undertaking a PME course. Students on PME courses face particular costs unique to their studies e.g. accommodation and travel costs associated with Gaeltacht placement, school placement costs and course materials.
Effective for the 2021 Student Grant Scheme I announced enhanced postgraduate supports which saw the fee grant amount rising from €2,000 to €3,500 and the income threshold for eligibility for these grants will also rise, up from €31,500, now €54,240. The increase in fee grant will allay some of the costs for postgraduate study and will give greater certainty for students in terms of supports. In addition to the increase in the fee grant, the income thresholds for postgraduate students were increased from a postgraduate threshold of €31,500 to €54,240 in 2021; which is currently the highest income threshold at undergraduate level. This measure removed the need to continue with the ring-fenced funding under SAF for PME courses in 2021.
Please find below the 2018/19 SAF allocation for PME students by HEI as provided by the HEA.
|
HEI |
2018/19 SAF allocation for PME students |
|
CIT |
17,326.73 |
|
DCU |
159,405.94 |
|
LIT |
9,900.99 |
|
Marino Institute |
62,871.29 |
|
MIC |
63,366.34 |
|
MU |
157,425.74 |
|
NCAD |
16,831.68 |
|
NUIG |
155,940.59 |
|
TCD |
58,415.84 |
|
UCC |
104,950.50 |
|
UCD |
126,237.62 |
|
UL |
67,326.73 |
|
Total |
€1,000,000 |
I have also attached a breakdown of the 2018/19 SAF recipient data for PME students by HEI for your information.
Below please find 2018/19 SAF recipient data for PME students by HEI:
|
2018-19 SAF recipient data |
PME breakdown |
||||
|
Full Time |
Part Time |
||||
|
BMW |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Male |
Total |
|
Athlone Institute of Technology |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Dundalk Institute of Technology |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Letterkenny Institute of Technology |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
National University of Ireland, Galway |
79 |
37 |
0 |
0 |
116 |
|
Institute of Technology, Sligo |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
St Angelas College |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
BMW Total |
82 |
37 |
0 |
0 |
119 |
|
S&E |
Female |
Male |
Female |
Male |
|
|
Marino College |
11 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|
Cork Institute of Technology |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
Dublin City University |
30 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
38 |
|
Dublin Institute of Technology |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Institute of Art, Design & Technology |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Institute of Technology Blanchardstown |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Institute of Technology Carlow |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Institute of Technology Tallaght |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Institute of Technology Tralee |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Limerick Institute of Technology |
8 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
|
Mary Immaculate College |
41 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
42 |
|
National College of Art and Design |
15 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
|
National College of Ireland |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Maynooth University |
48 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
63 |
|
Pontifical University, Maynooth |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
RCSI |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Trinity College Dublin |
7 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
|
University College Cork |
41 |
13 |
0 |
0 |
54 |
|
University College Dublin |
10 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
|
University of Limerick |
11 |
21 |
0 |
0 |
32 |
|
Waterford Institute of Technology |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
S&E Total |
227 |
69 |
1 |
0 |
297 |
|
Overall Totals |
309 |
106 |
1 |
0 |
416 |
