Early last year, I asked the former Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, what supports or provisions had been put in place for students for the academic year 2020. All present know the trouble students are going through. Will the Government provide a financial support package for struggling students for this academic year, which began in September 2020? I refer to the students who cannot receive refunds for private accommodation, as well as other students. What provisions is the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, putting in place for student accommodation for the next academic year, which is due to begin in September 2021? Students and their families are going through an awful time. It is shocking that they have had to pay money out and now have to pay for the coming academic year as well, with the probability that they will get no return on that. They will not have their accommodation costs refunded if they are forced to stay at home. It is very unfair to those students. They have come through the leaving certificate and attending college virtually. It goes on and on. We need definite proposals to support those students.

There is no promised legislation on that issue but I will certainly mention to the Minister that the Deputy has raised the issue and I will ask that a reply be forwarded to him.

As the Tánaiste is aware, the SUSI grant application process will open next week. It is very important for many students to get support in the college years that are coming up ahead of them. There is a cohort of students whose parents earn less than €24,000 per year and who do not have a social welfare element. It is a very small cohort, but they are not entitled to a top-up, whereas students whose parents are on less than €24,000 per year but have a social welfare benefit as part of that do get a top-up. That is a very wrong system that is operating in that regard. I ask that it be looked at and sorted out by the Government such that these students who are most in need of support can actually get it.

I thank the Deputy for pointing out that anomaly. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, is leading a review of the SUSI grant system at the moment. I appreciate that it may not be completed in time for these students, so I will make sure that he is aware of the issue that has been raised.