Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2020
516. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if further consideration has been given to or the status of a financial package for the third-level institutions; and if so, if it will include increased SUSI, HEAR, DARE and Access funding to ensure expansion of access to third-level education. [14654/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am conscious of the difficulties being experienced by students and their families as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and of the importance of the Student Grant Scheme and related supports, such as the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. These supports have a fundamental role in assisting families who are putting their children through further and higher education.
Accordingly, the following arrangements have been put in place:
For the 2020/21 academic year, student grant applications will be assessed based on gross income from all sources for the period 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019.
If a student or party to their application experiences a change in circumstances that is not a temporary change and is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, they can apply to have their application assessed under the change in circumstances provision of the relevant Student Grant Scheme. Following such a review, the applicant may fall within the thresholds to become eligible for grant assistance or be entitled to an increased rate of grant or the special rate of grant.
The income threshold for the special rate of grant has been increased from €24,000 to €24,500 for the 2020 scheme, so as to ensure that students from families dependent on welfare will continue to be eligible for the special rate of grant. (This reflects the Budget 2019 increase to the maximum point of the weekly State Contributory Pension, plus maximum Qualified Adult Allowance for a person over 66 years).
My officials have been in contact with their counterparts in the Department of Social Protection, Community & Rural Development and the Islands. They have advised me that full-time students who had part-time employment when the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment was introduced in March, can avail of this support payment.
The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will now be extended from 9 June until Phase 5 of the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business (currently scheduled to begin on 10 August). I welcome this decision which further supports students who have lost their income due to the pandemic.
Although there will now be a two level payment structure to link the Pandemic Unemployment Payment level to prior earnings, no person on the lower rate of payment will receive less on PUP than they were previously paid by their employer.
As well as the above Higher Education Institutions have the autonomy to maximise the flexibility in the Student Assistance Fund to enable HEIs to support students during the COVID-19 situation.
Mitigating the impact of Covid19 on Higher Education Providers and safeguarding that capacity against the backdrop of the broader economic crisis is a priority. By ensuring that core provision is maintained and in particular by assessing the level of financial vulnerability that may threaten the viability of any specific institution, the Department, the HEA and representative bodies are working together to respond to this crisis.
Accordingly, the HEA was requested by the Department to complete an assessment of the potential impact of Covid19 on individual institutions in consultation with key stakeholders. The HEA’s assessment of the position for individual HEIs is largely informing, the Department’s consideration of financial impact of Covid19 on Higher Education and the Tertiary Education system. The longer term financial impact and support required to assist the recovery of the Tertiary Education Sector to ensure that it can contribute fully to economic recovery and to meeting priority skill needs will con examined in the context of overall expenditure management and budgetary policy.
In addition, as set out above a review is currently underway under the European Commission DG Reform’s Structural Reform Support Programme regarding Increasing the Future Sustainability of Higher and Further Education Provision in Ireland. The review encompasses the review of the funding options for higher education included in the 2016 (Cassells) Report of the Expert Group on Future Funding of Higher Education. The study is scheduled to be substantially complete in Q4 2020.
