COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 11, 2019

QUESTION NO. 22

QUESTION: Councillor M. Ward

To ask the Chief Executive to provide a report on what bursaries the Council provide or have provided for people entering 3rd level education and to make a statement on the matter?

REPLY:

The Council's Educational Bursary started in 2006 in partnership with the then Institutue of Technology Tallaght, now Technological University Dublin (TUD). This bursary is primarily designed to support and incentivise local students attending schools in disadvantaged areas to progress to higher education.

The bursary provides €2,500 to eight students in each of years 1 and 2 of their academic programme.  The annual recipients are selected from two further education colleges (Greenhills College and Tallaght Adult Education Service) and six schools (Mount Seskin, Killinarden Community School, St Aidan’s Community School, Collinstown Park Community College, St Kevins Community College and Deansrath Community College).  An additional €2,500 is available to support the Active Aged bursary for an older person returning to education.

Separately, €10,000 is provided for annual sports bursaries and approximately 40 students involved in sports teams in TUD benefit from this each year.  TUD contribute an additional €20,000 to this fund that is provided to eligible applicants that are in full-time education and involved in a team the university.  Applications are assessed and score points based on commitment to training, participation at matches, level at county/international level they compete at and engagement with developing the club within the college.  Grants are awarded as €2,000, €1,500, €1,000 or €500.  Students across various sports including Gaelic games, basketball, football, martial arts, badminton, boxing, volleyball, weightlifting, hockey have been supported by the sports bursary. Recipients have been on Irish international hockey, badminton and football teams as well as GAA county teams and League of Ireland football teams.