Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 December 2022
123. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress that his Department is making to reduce third level fees for students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59308/22]
View answerI am acutely conscious of the challenges facing students and the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address cost as a barrier to education. I also recognise that costs are not limited to tuition fees payable by students and that students have real cost of living challenges such as fuel, food or accommodation and have specific costs associated with their courses such as books or materials.
In Budget 2023, I gave priority to introducing a significant package of measures that will see students and families directly benefit and will help them tackle the challenges posed by the increased cost of living.
In 2022 these measures include:
- A reduction of €1,000 in the student contribution payable by eligible free fees students for the academic year 2022/23. Students eligible for a 50% student contribution grant support as paid by SUSI will benefit proportionally and will see the amount they pay to their institution reduce from €1,500 to €1,000.
- A reduction of up to 33% in the contribution fee for apprentices
- Additional maintenance payment for SUSI maintenance recipients in 2022
- An increase in the SUSI Postgraduate Fee Contribution Grant
- Increased funding for the Student Assistance Fund for the current academic year
From January 2023 the SUSI special rate and Band 1 rate of maintenance will increase by 14% and all other maintenance grant rates will increase by 10%.
In addition to the once off cost-of-living measures, I was also very pleased to secure Government's agreement to the introduction of a permanent new rate of student contribution support through SUSI from September 2023.
For students whose families have incomes between €62,000 and €100,000, there will be a new grant of €500 towards the undergraduate student contribution. I am also increasing the income limit for students to avail of the 50% student contribution grant.
The Post Graduate Fee Contribution Grant by €500 will increase by €500 from €3,500 to €4,000 from September 2023. We have also made changes to allowable income and reduced eligibility criteria for “second chance” mature students from 5 to 3 years.
The changes I am implementing, in addition to previous measures such as removing the €200 PLC levy from September of this year, will see a real, tangible and permanent reduction in costs for eligible students and clearly demonstrate the Government’s commitment to sustainably address cost as a barrier to education.
