532. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education and Youth the internal policy regarding the education support grant for survivors of residential institutional abuse; if it is the case that officials are encouraged to grant the minimum payment of €500 to applicants; that there is a higher threshold for disbursing the informal €600 grant; if it is the position that applicants should borrow money to self-fund their education and training before drawing down the grant; her views on the adequacy of the support package; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45967/26]

The education support payments referred to by the Deputy are being delivered in accordance with section 6 of the Supports for Survivors of Residential institutional Abuse Act 2025. There are two types of education support payment, supporting both formal and informal learning, and applicants can apply for both.

The criteria against which each application is assessed by my Department were, in accordance with the Act, published in March.

With regard to the €600 informal education support payment, this is intended to support the self-development and wellbeing of each applicant. Applicants are not required to specify or demonstrate to the Department how they intend to utilise the payment, and my Department is proactively engaging with applicants to ensure that as many applicants as possible benefit from it.

With regard to the formal education support payments, these are available to applicants who are pursuing, or who wish to pursue, more formal education and training leading to a recognised award. The support payments available under this strand of the scheme range from €500 to €2,000 depending on the level of the course and whether it is full-time or part-time.

For example, a part-time course leading to an award at level 1 of the National Framework of Qualifications would qualify for a €500 support payment, while a full-time course leading to a level 7 award would qualify for a €2,000 support payment.

This is in addition to any other supports which might be available to each applicant.

Each application for a formal education support payment is assessed individually by my Department in accordance with the criteria referred to above and based on the information provided by each applicant. Where further information is required, my Department engages with the applicant concerned.

Before a payment can be processed each applicant is also required to demonstrate that they have registered for the course and, where a fee applies, that they have paid for the course. However, once this has been demonstrated my Department can provide the applicant with the relevant payment very quickly. I can inform the Deputy that a number of applications for the maximum €2,000 payment have been approved and paid to date.