Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1479. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated full-year cost of abolishing third level registration fees for all European Union students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41483/22]
View answer1481. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated full-year cost of abolishing tuition fees for postgraduate and repeat students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41486/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1479 and 1481 together.
I am committed to the progressive implementation of measures to address costs as a barrier to education, within the overall context of Government policy towards costs of living and other relevant strategies including those related to access and participation in education.
With this in mind, it is important to highlight the very substantial financial support, currently well in excess of half a billion euro, provided by the taxpayer towards tuition fees and the student contribution for students in higher education. This comprises State funding of tuition costs amounting to €357m per annum for 146,000 eligible undergraduate higher education students through my Departments Free Fees schemes and €190m paid by the Exchequer under the Student Grant Scheme in respect of all or some of the €3,000 student contribution which benefits over 65,000 eligible students.
Full-time EU undergraduate students are included under the nationality criteria of the free fees schemes. The estimated costs of providing for abolishing the student contribution of €3,000 for all free fees eligible students, after an associated reduction in the student grant support budget, is €256million per annum.
The main support available to assist postgraduate students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved full-time course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.
Currently Postgraduate students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant. The income threshold for this grant is €24,500, under the Student Grant Scheme are eligible to have their post graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit of €6,270. Postgraduate students who earn below the income threshold of €54,240 in 2021/22 qualify for postgraduate fee contribution of €3,500.
As I look towards the next budgetary cycle, I will be examining all the levers I have to address the cost of education in a way that has impact for students and families and that applies broadly and fairly across society.
As the Deputy is aware, Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs, including the management of academic affairs. They retain the right to determine their own policies and procedures. The total level of repeat fees; registration fees/student levy or, in the case of students not eligible for free fees funding, any tuition fees payable to the institution including international fees and postgraduate fees are solely a matter for the relevant institution to determine in line with its own criteria. As estimated cost of the state fully supporting all such fees in not readily available.
