Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Penrose for raising this important matter.

In 2017, the Department of Education and Skills allocated more than €400 million in access measures to assist students from under-represented groups to participate in and complete higher education. It is anticipated that the student grant scheme will benefit circa 80,000 students in 2017-18. The principal support provided by the Department in financial terms is the student grant scheme, or SUSI grant, which makes available means-tested financial assistance to students in further and higher education. Financial supports are currently available for those postgraduate students who meet the eligibility criteria of the student grant scheme, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.

The Deputy will be aware of the programme for Government commitment to increase financial supports for postgraduate students, with a particular focus on those from low-income households. In response to this commitment, the Government approved additional funding of €4 million in budget 2017 to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants from September 2017 for the must disadvantaged postgraduate students. A further €3 million was secured in budget 2018. Postgraduate students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the student grant scheme for the 2018-19 academic year are eligible for a maintenance grant of up to €5,915. The income threshold for this grant is €23,500. Qualifying postgraduate students may also be eligible to have their tuition fees paid up to a maximum fee limit of €6,270. Alternatively, a postgraduate student may qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the cost of his or her fees. The income threshold for this payment is €31,500. The student grant scheme does not extend to postgraduate courses pursued outside of Ireland.

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