Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2015
450. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the projected cost of changing the measurement of geographical distance to a measurement of travel distance in respect of qualifying for grant assistance under the Student Universal Support Ireland scheme. [26892/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra451. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of reinstating the old adjacent rate of the grant under the Student Universal Support Ireland scheme at 24 km. [26893/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 450 and 451 together.
In Budget 2011, the qualifying distance criterion for entitlement to the higher non-adjacent rate of grant, in place since 1968, changed from 15 miles (24 kilometres) to 28 miles (45 kilometres). This measure took effect for all students, both new and renewal, from the start of the 2011/2012 academic year.
The percentage split before the change in Budget 2011 was 77% of maintenance grant recipients qualifying for the non-adjacent rate with 23% of maintenance grants paid at the adjacent rate. Currently the split is 53% non-adjacent and 47% adjacent.
The percentage split between adjacent and non-adjacent can fluctuate from one year to another as some students graduate and new applicants come into grant. However, assuming that a change in the adjacency rate resulted in a reversion to the old percentage split then, approximately 15,000 additional students would move to the non-adjacent rate. It is difficult to quantify the cost due to the fact that each individual's circumstances are different and any impact would affect an unknown cohort of new applicants applying to SUSI at some future date. However, assuming that all 15,000 students transferring from the non-adjacent to the adjacent rate qualify for the standard rate of grant, then the financial impact of such a change would amount to €27.1 million. If all 15,000 qualified for the special rate then the cost would be €52.8m.
