Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 October 2018
122. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reversing the budget 2011 decision to increase the SUSI grant non-adjacency qualifying distance from 24 km to 45 km; if reversing same has been considered in advance of budget 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40923/18]
View answerThe cost of reversing the change to the distance criteria in the Student Grant, is estimated to be in the region of €26m.
The above costing assumes that a change to the distance criterion would result in a similar percentage of students qualifying for the higher non-adjacent grant support, as existed pre Budget 2011.
The Deputy will appreciate that there are a large number of competing demands for available funding. Decisions with regard to Budget 2019 will be announced on Budget day.
