2026-04-23

221. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if supports or grants are available for Irish students undertaking specialist artistic third level training abroad that is not available in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21628/26]

Tá mé ag tógáil na ceiste seo thar ceann mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Ó Cearúil. The question is to ask the Minister if supports and grants are available for Irish students undertaking specialist artistic third level training, such as ballet dancing and dance training, that may not be available in Ireland, what supports are available to those families and those students undertaking such training and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The student grant scheme operated by Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, provides maintenance grants to eligible undergraduate students pursuing approved courses in other EU member states provided, of course, that they qualify for a SUSI grant at home in the first instance. A qualifying student can take that grant with them if they are pursuing a course of study abroad within the EU. In general, the rules of the scheme state an approved undergraduate course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years' duration pursued in a university or equivalent third level institution that is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds in another EU member state or the UK. Therefore, there are certain minimal entry criteria to qualify, but they are quite well understood and quite compatible with the SUSI scheme as it operates at home. Students who may be in receipt of SUSI grants in a domestic institution whose course of study includes a compulsory period of study abroad, and those registered in participating higher education institutions taking part in schemes such as Erasmus or other student mobilities, continue to receive their maintenance grant payments while abroad. Effectively, they take SUSI with them. If they are undergoing a placement, an exchange or an Erasmus programme, their grant travels with them and continues to support them. However, the student grant scheme does not extend to the payment of tuition fees to institutions outside the State, other than exceptional provision in a small number of cases for postgraduate courses in Northern Ireland. This provision, which has been in place since the establishment of SUSI, is consistent with the principles of the Good Friday Agreement and is intended to promote greater tolerance and understanding between both jurisdictions. A little like the previous question where I spoke about Queen's and Dundalk IT, there is a particular sensitivity and complexity to aligning the North and South jurisdictions but it is seen and treated, I believe correctly, as a special case that deserves special support and a special set of rules to promote and encourage that mobility. It is a special case for Northern Ireland, which does not extend beyond that in terms of fees for tuition payments.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht an fhreagra sin. I want to be clear on the kinds of programmes I am talking about. I am talking about specialist ballet programmes that may not necessarily result in an undergraduate degree award but that are for individuals who would have been practising or learning how to perform ballet, in some cases since the age of four. They would enrol in universities abroad, for example the University of the Arts in Rotterdam. A number of the constituency cases Deputy Ó Cearúil and I have been dealing with have come back and said that such a programme is not covered by SUSI grants at the moment. When people have a talent for something like ballet and it is something they want to pursue, it is important that, where programmes are not available in Ireland, some flexibility be given to people who want to study. I know of instances where families have explored all available supports, such as through the Arts Council and SUSI and have been told quite clearly that such courses are not eligible for coverage by SUSI. Therefore, my question is on whether there is scope for grants or bursaries or for an alteration to be made to the criteria for SUSI grants to support families in such instances when students are not able to pursue these kinds of courses in this country.

I see the point and the scenario the Deputy described and I am sure these talented young people have great opportunities available to them in certain specialist centres of education outside the State. It is unfortunate that specialist area of training is not available in the State at present. There are institutes such as the Royal Irish Academy of Music and a number of different dance and music courses are available across many institutions. I am not sure of the degree of compatibility. I heard the Deputy say, and noted it, that this particular course is not available in the State. I am not sure whether there are comparable courses. The Deputy mentioned he had explored the avenue of the Arts Council. It does appear that this may be a candidate for a bursary scheme or sponsorship scheme. There are students studying in Ireland who have such bursaries from their home states, although not necessarily from their states but from sponsors who have taken them under their wing to promote their talent. Sometimes that happens on a private sector basis. In examples I have seen, students ended up in Ireland supported by sponsors abroad but it is not a scheme currently in operation here.

I ask for some consideration by the Minister of the possibility of exploring joint approaches with other Government Departments. When we see great people achieve greatness in their disciplines, we take credit for them and take pride in those people being Irish citizens. It would be great for people like these constituents we have dealt with who have an aptitude for things like ballet and will represent Ireland in the international arts environment, if we were able to say the State played a role in supporting their love of their vocations and in them developing the skills and doing the training they needed to excel on the world stage. It is about reviewing the criteria for SUSI grants, especially if there are niche courses like this for which there are no equivalents in this country. Consideration should be given to what kinds of supports could be made available. If it cannot be done through the SUSI angle, will the Minister look at partnering with other Government Departments or State agencies like the Arts Council and the creative Ireland programme, not only for things like ballet, but for other specialist art and performing arts we are all familiar with in our constituencies? We all take pride in them when they excel but we must ensure the State has played a role in helping them to do so.

There is a case to be made for sponsoring, perhaps to a greater degree than is currently the case, students in the situation the Deputy described. It may be of interest to the Deputy and the House that I have asked my Department to commence preparation of a strategy for the creative arts, on how we support our artistic institutions, including the Institute of Art, Design and Technology, IEDT, the National College of Art and Design, NCAD, the Royal Irish Academy of Music and others, which perform a vital function in the creative tapestry of the social life in the State. It is pertinent at a time when we require more transversal skills and the deep dive of specialised education is no longer as transferable as it once was. We need graduates to come out with skills in communication, problem solving and analysis. I often find the creative arts is a wonderful foundry for that kind of skill set and those kinds of ideas. I will take it on board. I would be happy to talk to the Deputy separately if he wants to follow up with me on the details of the case, or Deputy Ó Cearúil may wish to. In the context of the creative arts strategy, I will certainly examine whether there are any lacunas that could perhaps be usefully filled.