Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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328. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of extending grant support to part-time students at third level. [35253/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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Based on the Higher Education Authority (HEA) statistical data of part-time undergraduate and part-time enrolments in all HEA funded institutions for the 2017/18 academic year, there were 23,794 part-time undergraduate students and 16,307 part-time postgraduate students.

If maintenance and fee grants were introduced for part-time undergraduate and postgraduate students along similar lines to those for full-time students, and similar numbers qualify for support, then the estimated cost would be in the region of €56m.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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329. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of extending grant support to postgraduate students. [35254/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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If the maintenance grants and eligibility for full fees were reintroduced for postgraduate students, along similar lines to those for undergraduate students, the total estimated cost would be approximately €44m.

This costing assumes that the actual number of postgraduate grant holders (2,194 in 2018/19) will increase to the level prior to the introduction of the 2012 Budget measure (6,027 students). It also assumes that students will qualify for the higher fee and maintenance grants.