“Maureen O’Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the action he has taken on the reports that UCC and Trinity College Dublin have been involved in experimentation on thousands of live animals each year; and his plans to deal with banning vivisection …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 23 October]
“Maureen O’Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent): To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will support the students at Bethlehem University by strongly condemning their exclusion from the European Union Student Mobility Programme, ERASMUS, while Israeli students are permitted full membership but Palestinian institutions such as the University of Bethlehem are not; his views that this is unfair; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 3 November]
“Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he envisages that the QQI will determine the fees that will apply to the providers with which it engages; his views on whether the fees could possibly reach up to €5,000; if this is the case, his views on whether such a high level of fees chargeable to legacy providers would make them financially unsustainable; if he will grant a waiver for community education providers in such circumstances in relation to fees for FETAC delivery under QQI; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 8 July]
“Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the mounting difficulties students have in accessing their grants, if he will continue to fund the student assistance fund beyond 2013. [51835/12]
“Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): The Third Level Access Measure provides support for disadvantaged students through two sub-priorities: the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. The objective of the Student Assistance Fund, is to assist students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise, due to their financial circumstances, be unable to continue their third level studies. These funds are managed by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of my Department and are funded under the National Development Plan, with assistance from the European Social Fund. No decisions have yet been taken on the amount that will be allocated to Ireland or the programmes to be funded in the next round of EU Structural Funds for the period 2014-2020. Some €13.2m is available in the Third Level Access Measure Fund overall in the 2012/13 academic year. I have no plans at present to discontinue the Student Assistance Fund.”
“Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills how he intends to deal with those persons who deliberately and fraudulently under-report assets and income in order to avail of free third level fees and maintenance grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil Éireann, 13 March]
