Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 October 2022
522. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the €1,000 increase announced for postgraduate fee grants applies to all postgraduate grants, including those in receipt of a special rate postgraduate grant currently capped at €6,270; and if the cap will be lifted by €1,000 to allow for the increase. [48582/22]
View answerI was pleased to announce as part of Cost of Living measures in Budget 2023 a once off increase in the Post Graduate fee grant by €1,000 from €3,500 to €4,500. Postgraduate students who meet the eligibility criteria for a Postgraduate Fee Contribution will benefit from this measure. Postgraduate students who receive the Special Rate of grant will not receive this as they have their tuition fee contribution paid up to €6,270. Those students already receive the maximum support available to postgraduates and the €1,000 once-off increase is targeted at students who receive a lower level of support.
Postgraduate students on the Special Rate of Maintenance Grant will receive a once-off extra maintenance payment equivalent to one month’s maintenance, to be made by this December. The special rate of grant will also increase effective from January 2023.
I also announced a further investment of €8 million in the Student Assistance Fund for the current academic year. This will help many students who continue to struggle financially.
