Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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324. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reducing the student contribution by €250 for students with family income by amounts (details supplied). [35249/19]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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325. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reducing the student contribution by €500 for students with family income by amounts (details supplied). [35250/19]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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337. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated amount a reduction of €500 to the student contribution charge would cost based on the most recent figures available. [35262/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 324, 325 and 337 together.

The Student Contribution, which currently stands at €3,000, was introduced with effect from the 2011/12 academic year. It is important to recognise that there has been no increase in the contribution since 2014/15. 

The Deputy may wish to note that family income does not influence eligibility for the free fees scheme and accordingly my Department does not hold information on family incomes for students who are in receipt of free fees and paying the student contribution.

Therefore based on the overall number of students that qualified for free fees funding in the academic year 2018/19 (and were therefore liable to pay the Student Contribution), and taking into account expected increases in student numbers, the estimated net cost to my Department of reducing the contribution by €250 or €500 is outlined in the following table. These figures are based on the student projections for 2019/20.

It should be noted that the above estimates incorporate the resulting reduction to my Department's Student Grant Scheme budget as the exchequer pays this contribution (or part of it) on behalf of almost 50% of undergraduate students who are in receipt of student grant assistance.