Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 July 2024
504. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated first- and full-year cost of reducing the student contribution charge by €1,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27984/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the State provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible full time undergraduate higher education students with students paying the student contribution of up to €3,000 per annum.
The State pays the student contribution (in full or part) on behalf of students who qualify under the student grant scheme administered by SUSI. In addition to this, a new student contribution grant of €500 was introduced last year for applicants whose income was below €100,000. This is a permanent reduction to the student contribution costs for qualifying students.
The data to allow for the costing of a €1,000 reduction in the contribution for 2024/25 is not yet available. However, it is anticipated that the estimated costs of applying a student contribution reduction in 2024/25 would be of a similar magnitude to that in 2023/24. On that basis it is estimated that the cost to the State to reduce the student contribution by €1,000 for 2024/25 would be in the region of €92 million.
Please note that these figures are the estimated net cost to the State after adjusting for savings that would accrue on the student grant scheme. The figures may change as more up to date data becomes available.
