Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Moynihan for his question and for his regular engagement with myself and my office on the issue of student supports and the need to do better, reform and overhaul the student grant system. I am happy to give him an update on the review of the SUSI student grant scheme. This was a very important commitment in the programme for Government, which will help shape decision-making on how we support students over the years to come. I thank the Deputy for acknowledging that there have been some changes since our three-party Government came into office, including the first increase in the SUSI grant in a decade, the first increase in thresholds in probably the same period, the first reduction in the adjacency rate, which may impact the Deputy's own constituents in terms of ensuring more students can avail of the higher rate of the grant, and the first increase in postgraduate supports. In the relatively short lifetime of this Government, four concrete measures have been put in place. There is a need to do more and the programme for Government commits to an overhaul of the student support system, not just additional measures in the current system.

Following a procurement process, the review of the SUSI student grant scheme has been undertaken by Indecon, under the guidance of a steering group which has included student and sectoral representatives and representatives from other relevant Departments. I am pleased to say there was significant public interest in the review. Approximately 280 written submissions were received. A very welcome feature of the process of engagement was that students were involved. I understand that over 9,000 survey responses were received from students across the country. This very strong element of public engagement, in addition to the economic work undertaken by Indecon, should provide a solid evidence basis for the recommendations of the review.

I am currently awaiting the final report of the review of the student grant system. I understand as recently as today that the work is at a very advanced stage, and is at the point of finalisation by Indecon and the steering committee. My expectation is that I will receive the final report before Christmas. My intention then is to submit the report to Government, and then to publish it. The Deputy will understand that implementation of the report's recommendations will be a matter for consideration by Government and these Houses.

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