Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2026
1318. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the details of the Donogh O'Malley scholarship scheme in his Department; the number of students who have benefitted from the scholarship in each year since it started; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37118/26]
View answerThe Donogh O’Malley scholarship was established in 2007 by the Department of Education and Science to recognise the top-performing Leaving Certificate students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Approximately sixteen scholarships were awarded annually on a regional basis, with a minimum of three scholarships allocated in each of the following regions: Dublin City and County, Rest of Leinster, Munster, Connacht/Ulster. Additional awards were provided in the areas with greater numbers of eligible students.
In order to be eligible a candidate must have attended a DEIS school (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) and participated in a Leaving Certificate programme at that school and must be recognised to be from a socio-economically disadvantaged background. As evidence of this, applicants were required to have been exempted from the payment of the Leaving Certificate examination fee on foot of medical card eligibility.
Following the establishment of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in 2020, and the introduction of the calculated grades process for Leaving Certificate students during the COVID-19 pandemic, it became necessary to review and re-orientate a number of bursary schemes. The objective was to ensure that supports are aligned with target cohorts under the National Access Plan and reflect the increasingly diverse profile of first time applicants to higher education.
Since 2021, funding available through the Third Level Bursary Fund has been used to expand the 1916 Bursary Fund under the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH), which operates under the National Access Plan. As a result, no new Donogh O’Malley Scholarships have been awarded since that time. However, students who were already in receipt of the scholarship continue to be supported for the duration of their studies, provided they continue to meet the eligibility criteria under the Third Level Bursary Scheme.
I can confirm that the last Donogh O’Malley scholarship was paid to eligible students in 2021.
