Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Over the past number of years, I have delivered a range of enhancements to the student support scheme to better meet the needs of students and families, and it is only right and proper that we do. Over the course of the past three budgets and, in addition, separate and distinct from the one-off cost of living measures, I have significantly increased the rate of the grant, with the most recent improvements taking effect last month. I have increased the income limit for students availing of the 50% undergraduate student contribution. I introduced a new student contribution grant reducing the student contribution to be paid by €500 for qualifying families on incomes of between €62,000 and €100,000. This will provide support to between 40,000 and 50,000 students who would not previously have been eligible for SUSI or State support.

We have introduced a new rental income disregard of up to €14,000 to support the rent-a-room relief scheme of which many students are availing. We increased the deduction allowable for student earnings outside of term time from €4,500 to €6,552. We reduced the period for a break in studies from five years to three years for second-chance mature students. We have increased the income thresholds to qualify for the standard rate of student grant, reduced the qualifying distance for the non-adjacent rate of grant from 45 km to 30 km and enhanced postgraduate supports.

As I did for the first time last year, it is my intention to publish a cost of education options paper, which will set out options for further enhancement of student supports for consideration as part of the budgetary process in the autumn. This is quite a good process. The Department of Social Welfare has been doing it on tax for years. We need to put the options out early. I accept that the budget was moved forward earlier last year so I would like to give people a little more time this year. We need to put out all the options and cost them at Government then let the Opposition, the public and students see the menu of options on how we reduce the cost of education. We have taken measures, however. Since my Department was established - we did not have a Department in this space before - we have taken very concrete actions to try to improve and overhaul the SUSI grant scheme. I would be the first to say we have much more to do in this space in terms of fees and grants. I intend to do more in the next budget.

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