558. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the supports in place for mature students with jobs who are looking to further their qualifications; his plans ahead of Budget 2027 negotiations for additional support for mature students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48696/26]

My Department is committed to supporting flexible forms of learning and there are a number of schemes in operation to support part-time and mature students.

The Student Part-Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses was introduced for the first time in September 2024 to provide fee support to eligible part-time students attending specified publicly funded undergraduate courses leading to a major award. Statutory Instrument No. 99 of 2026 outlines the courses which are approved for funding in 2026/27. SUSI administer the Part-Time Scheme on behalf of the Department. The Scheme opened for new applications in April 2026 and further details of how to apply for approved courses are available on the SUSI website.

The Scheme applies to both in-person and blended/hybrid courses and was developed with the aim of providing support for more flexible forms of learning to students who are considered underrepresented in Higher Education.

Additional supports for part-time learners outside of the Part-Time Scheme include Springboard+ and the Micro-credential Learner Fee Subsidy.

Springboard+ was established in 2011 and continues to play a vital role in expanding access to higher education by offering flexible, work focused learning opportunities to adult learners across the country, including those currently employed, self-employed, unemployed or returning to the workforce. It complements the core State-funded education and training system and provides free, 50% or 90% funded upskilling and reskilling higher education opportunities in areas of identified skills need. In March 2026, I launched Springboard+ 2026, which is providing over 7,000 places on 244 courses, 16 of these being micro-credentials, offering 387 places.

Aligned with national skills priorities, Springboard+ supports individuals to upskill or reskill in high-demand areas such as ICT, cybersecurity and sustainability. The programme continues to evolve, with the inclusion of micro-credentials in 2025, providing additional flexible targeted learning aligned with industry needs.

The Micro-credential Learner Fee Subsidy has played a big role in enabling higher education institutions to offer a range of micro-credential courses in an enterprise-focused flexible lifelong learning format.

The Micro-credential Learner Fee Subsidy was introduced under Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Pillar 3 in February 2024 and continued until October 2025. The subsidy, available to those currently employed, self-employed, unemployed or returning to the workforce, has supported the development and uptake of micro-credentials across key skills areas. These areas include Artificial Intelligence, Biopharma, Construction, Cyber Security, Engineering, ICT and Finance, with over 6,600 learners availing of the subsidy across more than 600 micro-credential courses.

The 2026 Micro-credential Learner Fee Subsidy was launched on 20th May 2026. 179 micro-credentials have been made available offering 3,881 places, subsidised at 80%, across 26 higher education institutions nationwide. More than 50% of the approved micro-credentials focus on digital skills, supporting the objectives of the National Digital and AI Strategy and helping to build a more agile and adaptable workforce.

In addition to Springboard+, Further Education and Training (FET) is available on a flexible basis, including on evenings and weekends. FET is available in every community in Ireland and courses are either free or heavily subsidised. There are also non-financial supports in FET, aimed at supporting access for diverse learner groups. For example, there is a dedicated Adult Education Guidance and Information Service in each Education and Training Board (ETB). ETBs deliver courses in a variety of formats, including part-time, so that learners can undertake courses and acquire certification at their own pace, around their work, family and other commitments and needs.

My Department will keep the policies surrounding support for part-time and mature students under review. However, any future expansion of the parameters of support can only be considered in the context of the budgetary allocation, having regard to overall resource constraints and other competing demands in the further and higher education sector.