Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022
1220. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated cost of the Exchequer of waiving the student contribution charge for all EU nursing students in the state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20883/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am commited to the progressive implementation of measures to address costs as a barrier to education, which will include the student contribution, within the overall context of Government policy towards costs of living and other relevant strategies including those related to access and participation in education.
Under the Department’s Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students. All students eligible for the scheme receive state support whereby the Exchequer pays the cost of tuition fees exclusive of the student contribution.
The student contribution charge is currently €3,000 per academic year. The Exchequer pays the student contribution (in full or part) on behalf of students who qualify under the student grant scheme. In 2020/21 approximately 45% of Free Fee eligible students had all or part of their student contribution funding paid on their behalf through student support grants.
EU Students who are not eligible for ‘free fees’ and are paying EU fee rates are liable to pay a composite fee which is inclusive of the annual student contribution charge and the remaining tuition fee.
It is important to note that my Department has no plans to provide additional student contribution subsidies for students on specific courses only. Notwithstanding this position, and to assist the Deputy, officials in my Department referred the query to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to estimate possible costs.
The estimated cost, based on full-time EU (including Great Britain & Northern Ireland) Level 8 (honours) degree Nursing students returns compiled by the HEA for the 2020/21 academic year as part of the Student Record System (SRS), to the Irish Exchequer of waiving the student contribution charge or contributing €3,000 of EU tuition fees for all EU nursing students in the state would be in the region of €20m – €21m. Based on eligible ‘free fees’ students only, the estimated cost would be in the region of €19m – €20m. These estimates exclude any subsequent reduction in the student grant budget for SUSI eligible students.
