Student Grant Scheme Design

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 January 2016

Wednesday, 20 January 2016

Questions (159)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

159. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the additional financial cost of including a new 100% adjacent rate of maintenance grant, 45 km or under, payment rate of €1,750 for students whose assessed family income is less than €30,000 per annum under the third level student grant scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2516/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Based on the 2014/15 academic year – SUSI paid the adjacent rate of maintenance grant to 8,346 students where the reckonable income was below €30,000 and where the students did not qualify for the Special rate of maintenance grant. These students would have received a grant of €1,215.

The additional cost of increasing this figure to €1,750 would be circa €4.5m.