Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 May 2023
934. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated full-year cost of providing a funded psychology postgraduate course for counselling, education and clinical services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24074/23]
View answer935. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated full-year cost of abolishing postgraduate third-level registration and tuition fees, including the associated reduction in the student support grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24075/23]
View answer936. 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 EU students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24076/23]
View answer937. 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 courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24078/23]
View answer938. 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 mature or repeating students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24079/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 934, 935, 936, 937 and 938 together.
I thank the Deputy for raising matters in relation to the cost of supporting students with tuition fees and other higher education costs.
I 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 May 2022, I launched Funding the Future, a landmark funding and reform framework for higher education. I also set out my intention to advance a progressive range of measures to address cost as a barrier to education, in the context of overall budgetary decision-making. The Government has now made important decisions about a sustainable model of funding for the higher education into the future. Critically, we have definitively taken income contingent student loans off the table. We have instead chosen a mixed model of investment, which includes funding from the Exchequer, employers and from students.
In Budget 2023 we introduced a range of once off supports for students as part of the Government cost of living packages for students. In addition we introduced a range of changes to the student grant scheme including increasing maintenance grant rates from January 2023. A further range of improvements to the student grant scheme will take effect for the 2023/24 academic year, including:
• An increase in income limit from €55,240 to €62,000 for the 50% student contribution grant;
• A new student contribution grant of €500 for incomes between €62,000 and €100,000;
• An increase to the postgraduate fee grant by €500 on 2022 levels from €3,500 to €4,000;
• A reduction in the eligibility for second chance mature students from 5 to 3 years;
• Exclusion of up to €14,000 rental income earned under Rent-a-Room Relief Scheme from reckonable income;
• An increase in student earnings outside of term time from €4,500 to €6,552; and
• A greater degree of flexibility for students who may have a long term social welfare payment but are falling outside of the special rate (this will allow a small increase on the income threshold for the special rate if a family has 4 or more children and/or has two or more students in college).
In advance of Budget 2024 this autumn, and as I did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. I will have regard to these options, including any options in respect of providing additional tuition fee supports or tuition fee contribution costs, when making proposals in the context of budget discussions.
In terms of the specific costings requested, as the Deputy will be aware, the higher education tuition fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the fee rates of a particular institution. 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 fees payable to the institution in the case of repeat fees, postgraduate tuition fees or the charge of any other fees upon registration such as a student levy, in addition to the total number of students enrolled, are generally matter for the relevant institution to determine in line with its own criteria. An estimated cost of the State fully supporting all such fees or all fees for specific courses is therefore not readily available.
