Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
1434. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether he will give consideration to extending SUSI supports to students attending third-level courses overseas where demand exceeds places in courses where there is an identified need for additional graduates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36222/23]
View answerUnder the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
In relation to support available for students studying abroad, the Student Grant Scheme provides maintenance grants to eligible undergraduate students pursuing approved courses in other EU Member States. In general, an approved undergraduate course in this context is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years duration pursued in a university or third level institution, which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds in another EU Member State or the UK.
The student grant scheme does not and never has extended to the payment of tuition fees to institutions outside the State, other than for exceptional provision in respect of postgraduate courses in Northern Ireland. The Scheme also does not extend to PLC courses pursued outside of the State or postgraduate study pursued outside of Ireland.
I am aware of areas where demand exceeds places in courses where there is an identified need for additional graduates and I, along with my Dáil colleagues, Minister Donnelly and Minister McConalogue recently announced a number of options to expand third level places for healthcare and veterinary medicine.
The Higher Education Authority was tasked by my Department to establish how additional capacity might be provided in healthcare and veterinary medicine. The report has found that, with investment, an additional 208 doctors, 692 nurses, 196 pharmacists, 63 dentists and 230 vets could potentially be trained annually.
These options could result in an increase of up to 5,000 in total third-level enrolments in these disciplines. This increase is subject to a forthcoming process which will now begin to cross-reference available options with the ongoing demand in the veterinary and health care areas and to agree costs and funding.
While the provision of these extra places would be catered for in institutions within the state and would not extend to courses undertaken overseas, it should have the potential to lead to a significant change in the number of domestic graduates which Ireland can produce in relevant disciplines over the next decade, thus reducing the requirement for students to study overseas in respect of these disciplines.
The Deputy may wish to note that 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.
