Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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760. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total cost to the State of abolishing the student contribution charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21759/21]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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761. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total cost to the State of reducing the student contribution charge by €1,000 each year for the next three years based on projected student numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21760/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 760 and 761 together.

The student contribution was introduced in higher education institutions with effect from the 2011/12 academic year and replaced the Student Services Charge.

While the student contribution now stands at €3,000, it is important to recognise that there has been no increase in the student contribution charge since 2014/15 and that currently in excess of 60,000 students have all or part of the student contribution paid on their behalf by the State via the Student Grant Scheme.

Based on the number of students that qualified for free fees funding in the academic year 2019/20, and taking into account overall projected increase in student numbers, the estimated cost of abolishing the student contribution for the 2021/22 academic year is €245.5m. This figure takes into account the resulting estimated reduction to my department's Student Grant Scheme budget.

It is estimated that the net cost to my Department of reducing the Student Contribution by €1,000 for the following years would be –

- 21/22 - €81.8 million

- 22/23 – €83.2 million

- 23/24 - €84.2 million

These figures takes into account the resulting estimated reduction to my department's Student Grant Scheme budget.