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Education Minister Ruairí Quinn today announced the establishment of a new scholarship scheme for higher education.

As part of Budget 2012, Minister Quinn committed to abolishing all existing scholarship schemes, and replacing these with a new set of bursaries, aimed solely at students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Speaking at the TUI Conference in Wexford this afternoon, the Minister said:

“60 students from DEIS schools, and who hold medical cards, will receive a bursary of €2,000 each this September. This number will rise over each of the next three years, with over 350 students a year benefiting by 2015. The awards will be awarded regionally on the basis of the leaving cert results achieved by students. I believe this is the only equitable manner of distributing the limited funds we have available for bursaries – focussing them on the students who most need our support.”

The awards under the new scheme will be fixed at €2,000 per student. The bursary will be an extra support and incentive to recognise high achievement for students who are from disadvantaged families and attending DEIS schools.

Those students to whom bursaries are awarded will also be entitled to apply for student grants towards the cost of maintenance and the student contribution or fees. 41% of all undergraduate students currently receive a student grant and have their fees or student contribution paid on their behalf.

“We hope that these bursaries will help ensure a new generation of Irish people strive to replicate his achievements”, said the Minister