Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1485. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated full-year cost of restoring the grant adjacency rate to 24km; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41490/22]
View answerThe student grant scheme provides for different levels of maintenance grants at adjacent and non-adjacent rates. The higher non-adjacent rates are intended to provide additional support to those students who may be living away from home.
The changes I announced in Budget 2022, to reduce the qualifying distance criteria for the non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant from 45km to 30km will come into effect this September and will significantly increase the maintenance grant rate for students, who were previously entitled to the adjacent rate of maintenance grant, due to the distance between their place of residence and their college falling between 30km and 45km.
The current qualifying distance of 30km for the higher non-adjacent rate of student grant takes into account a reasonable radius within which students may commute on a daily basis.
In relation to the estimated cost involved in 2023 in further reducing the qualifying distance criteria to 24km, I am advised that SUSI, the awarding authority, who have details of current applicants' distances, estimate it would cost in the region of €6m based on applicants awarded in 2021/22 to date. However, this is a demand led scheme and estimates may vary based on awarded applicants on a yearly basis.
