Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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102. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of reinstating postgraduate student grants in September 2018; the projected full year cost on the basis of the previous system that was in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40883/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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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, I secured additional funding of €4 million in Budget 2017 to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants, from September 2017, for the most disadvantaged post graduate students.

This will benefit approximately 1,100 of the most disadvantaged postgraduate students who meet the eligibility criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant, from September 2017, and it reverses the budgetary cut that was imposed on this cohort of students in 2012.  

However, if the maintenance grants and eligibility for full fees were reintroduced for postgraduate students, the total estimated cost would be approximately €44m. This excludes the above 2017 budget measure.

This costing assumes that the actual number of post graduate grant holders (2,141 in 2016/17) will increase to the level prior to the introduction of 2012 Budget measure (6,027 students).