Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 March 2023
152. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost of increasing the postgraduate SUSI fee grant by €1,000 to €5,000 based on the current enrolment numbers. [15519/23]
View answerI recognise that third level education can be a significant cost for families and students.
In addition to once-off cost of living measures, over the course of the past three Budgets, I have delivered a range of enhancements to the Student Grant Scheme to put more money into the pockets of students and their families.
As part of Budget 2023, I have increased the postgraduate fee contribution payment by €500 on 2021 levels from €3,500 to €4,000 effective from September 2023. This was estimated to affect circa 2,400 students at a cost of €1.2m.
The current enrolment numbers are not readily available as SUSI are still processing applications for the 2022/23 academic year and reconciliation of fees for 2022/23 are still ongoing. I have therefore based the estimated cost of increasing the postgraduate fee contribution payment from €4,000 to €5,000 on the aforementioned estimated number of students to benefit from this measure, and estimate that the cost may be in the region of €2.4m.
As I did for the first time last year, it is my intention to publish a cost of education options paper which will set out options for further enhancement of student supports for consideration as part of the Budgetary process in the Autumn.
