Written Answers Nos. 283-291
283. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason that those with disabilities partaking in the National Learning Network are being excluded from receiving the disability allowance. [58621/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe deputy will be aware that when a National Learning Network student enters training, their disability allowance changes to a training allowance for the duration of the course.
Following consultation with colleagues in the Department of Social Protection, eligible learners, including those attending the National Learning Network, will receive the once-off payment of €500 announced in Budget 2023.
My officials are engaging with SOLAS in relation to arrangements being put in place for the payments to be made. I will be able to provide you with an update once these arrangements are in place.
284. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the widespread concerns that for some third-level courses, particularly in medicine and related areas, and that in some cases, students with 625 points in the Leaving Certificate were not successful in their applications; if such courses are being taken up with a full complement of students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58637/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraRandom selection is the method chosen by the CAO to differentiate between candidates when the number of candidates with a given number of CAO points outnumber the places available on the course these candidates have applied for. It is based on a randomly generated number allocated to each candidate for each course they apply for. Where candidates are tied on points and random selection occurs, this selection is based on which students have the highest random numbers. The use of this method to distinguish between applicants who are otherwise equally qualified is a matter determined by the CAO and the higher education institutions.
In the case of Medicine programmes, the HPAT is an additional entry requirement. The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on behalf of the HEIs. The HPAT (Health Professions Admission Test) is independently administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the universities’ medical schools and the RCSI. The selection criteria and process for admission to medical schools is a matter for the universities and the RCSI in line with their statutory autonomy in relation to academic affairs.
In July 2022, Minister Donnelly and I announced an agreement with the Irish Medical Schools to phase in an increase of 200 additional Irish/EU medicine places over the next 5 years. The first phase has seen an additional 60 places offered in September 2022.
285. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the agreements reached between the Irish and UK governments post-Brexit provide that Irish students wishing to study at postgraduate level in the UK pay the same fees as British students; if such students are eligible for maintenance grants under the Irish student grants scheme; if students undertaking distance-learning postgraduate courses at a UK university are covered by the post-Brexit agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58644/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Memorandum of Understanding on the Education Principles for the Common Travel Area, which I signed in July of 2021, commits the Irish and UK Governments to maintain reciprocal rights of Irish and British citizens to access programmes in higher education institutions in each other's States on terms no less favourable that the citizens of that State. The question in respect of distance or online learning which has been raised by my officials with their UK counterparts is also covered, provided the student is resident in the UK for the duration of their studies. They have been assured by the Department of Education in London that this condition equally applies to UK citizens.
The Student Grant Scheme only applies to undergraduate programmes in the UK.
However, students may be able to claim tax relief at the standard rate of tax may 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 the student’s local Tax Office or from the Revenue Commissioners website, www.revenue.ie.
286. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which the son of a person (details supplied) is in receipt of their full entitlements by way of a SUSI grant as opposed to the half rate that they were awarded in the first instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58687/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to 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.
The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by an appeals officer in SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe (i.e. not later than 30 days after the notification of the determination of the appeals officer to the applicant). Such appeals can be made by the appellant online via www.studentgrantappeals.ie.
The student referred to by the Deputy was issued a letter by SUSI on 11 July 2022 advising they were awarded the 50% rate of Student Contribution if both they and their course were deemed eligible for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI).
On 7 November 2022 the college advised SUSI that the student was not eligible for the Free Fees Initiative. As a result, the application was refused, and an ineligibility letter was sent on 10 November 2022 to the student.
The student was advised in accordance with Section 20 of the Student Support Act 2011, of the right to appeal the decision to refuse the application within 30 days of receipt of the letter. As of 22nd November 2022, no notice of appeal has been received by SUSI.
287. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice the progress that has been made to bring Operation Encompass to Ireland in line with the commitment to explore this in the implementation plan for the third National Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Strategy. [58486/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra288. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the fact that Operation Encompass is already successfully running in Northern Ireland. [58487/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra289. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the recent announcement that Operation Encompass is being rolled out to a further 325 schools in Northern Ireland due to the impact of same. [58488/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra290. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice when and the way that she proposes to progress implementation of a programme such as Operation Encompass; and if she will outline these or any other specific early intervention mechanisms that are to be put in place to support children who are living with domestic abuse in their homes. [58489/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra291. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice the amount that has been put aside for the implementation plan for Operation Encompass or any other early intervention mechanism to support children living with domestic violence. [58490/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 287, 288, 289, 290 and 291 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, action 2.5.2 under the Zero Tolerance Strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence commits to a “complete examination of the potential application of an approach on the lines of Operation Encompass in an Irish context”. My Department is engaging with the Departments of Education and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, as well as An Garda Síochána on the issue.
I can inform the Deputy that, in October 2020, having received correspondence from the Children's Ombudsman, Department officials consulted with An Garda Síochána in relation to the practicality of a child protection initiative along the lines of Operation Encompass, which was operating in England and Wales.
Operation Encompass involves the police service making immediate notification, within 24 hours, directly to teachers/principals after they have been called to a domestic violence incident in which children were a factor. The practice in the UK which involves police and teacher collaboration, differs from how cases are dealt with in this jurisdiction where there is contact with social services, or Tusla.
One key factor to bear in mind is that it would appear that there is limited interaction between police and social services in the UK, except where a crime is disclosed. In contrast, in this jurisdiction, Garda policy provides that Tusla are to be notified of every domestic abuse-related incident affecting or involving children, which is not the case in other jurisdictions.
Due to this different institutional landscape, it is important that all aspects are fully considered prior to the introduction of a programme such as Operation Encompass and that process is underway.
