Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 September 2023
304. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which income qualification thresholds might be updated in respect of student SUSI grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40933/23]
View answerImprovements to the student grant scheme has been a key priority since becoming Minister and I have already made a number of significant improvements to the Student Grant Scheme benefitting thousands of students.
The Budget 2023 package announced last October included an increase to certain qualification thresholds in that:-
• The threshold for the student contribution 50% grant has been increased from €55,240 to €62,000
• A new grant €500 towards the student contribution fee was introduced for eligible grant applicants earning between €62,000 and €100,000.
My Department has recently published an annual options paper on the cost of higher education which outlined various possible measures to address the cost of education. This year’s paper has been expanded to include options on cost reduction across Further & Higher Education, Research and Apprenticeships and sets out the various options available for consideration by Government in advance of Budget 2024 to further reduce the cost of education for families and students.
You can access the options paper at this link:
gov.ie - Funding the Future - An annual options paper on the cost of higher education (www.gov.ie)
I will have regard to these options including any option on increasing income thresholds for the student grants, when making proposals in the context of budget discussions in advance of the annual Budget.
