Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
624. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if financial supports or subsidies will be provided to students whose third level course is delivered primarily or totally online; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25514/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has provided funding in the amount of €168m for further and higher education institutions and students to support the return to education. Within this the additional funding provided for student supports will be of assistance to many students particularly those with the least financial resources.
As part of the package of supports my Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has allocated €15 million of capital funding for a once-off Covid-19 Grant to support disadvantaged students in accessing ICT devices. This grant is being made available to further and higher education institutions. The institutions are using the grant funding to purchase devices to support disadvantaged students who are encountering challenges in accessing devices for online and blended learning. The distribution of the devices, and the associated terms and conditions, will be a matter for each individual further or higher education provider.
Where students who qualify for the statutory based SUSI grant scheme have approved course delivered through blended or on-line in 2020 as part of the COVID response, they will have their student grant continued as normal. Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to approved course, approved nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
Students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists full-time and part-time students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the higher education institution (HEI) attended. Institutions have the autonomy to maximise the flexibility in the Student Assistance Fund to support students during the Covid 19 pandemic.
The package of Covid 19 supports referred to above, includes a further €10m in access supports for students. Most of this money will be used to top up the Student Assistance Fund, with remaining funding used to support students via the access services in the higher education institutions.
Also part of the package of financial supports for the Higher Education and Further Education and Training sector to mitigate against the direct financial impact of COVID-19, is an additional funding of €3m for mental wellbeing and health services reprioritised by the HEA for their designated institutions.
I will continue to work with further and higher education providers, agencies and key stakeholders including student representatives to mitigate the additional pressures faced as a result of covid-19.
