Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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116. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of restoring third level grants to the level, in terms of rate, threshold and eligibility, that pertained prior to budget 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41728/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The estimated savings, at the time, from each of the Budget measures introduced in 2012 and 2013 were as follows:

- The changes to postgraduate funding would yield some €6 million savings in 2012 and a full year saving (in 2015) of some €54.2 million.

- The reduction of 3% in grant rates for all grant holders from January 2012 would yield a full year saving in 2012 of some €6.6 million.

- The 3% reduction in income thresholds for student grants for the 2013/14 academic year would yield some €2 million saving in 2013 and a full year saving (in 2014) of some €5 million.

My priority as Minister for Education and Skills is to preserve access to undergraduate higher education courses despite the difficult circumstances in our public finances. While it is regrettable that any changes needed to be made to student support, I believe the measures adopted will continue to provide resources for a relatively wide number of students and allow us to maintain the high level of supports provided to undergraduate students. I regret that I am not in a position to reverse or vary any of the overall necessary but difficult expenditure reduction measures announced in Budget 2012 and Budget 2013.

I empathise with students and I am very conscious of the fundamental role played by the student grant scheme in supporting families who are putting their children through further and higher education. However, the state of the public finances is such that tough decisions had to be made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run.