Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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402. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration has been given to expanding SUSI grants for postgraduate students in recognition of the cost of study fees and the limitations of low qualifying income thresholds for these students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34395/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme where students are studying for the first time or are progressing to study at a higher level. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.

Postgraduate students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme are eligible for the Postgraduate Special Rate of Maintenance grant, the income threshold for this grant is €24,500, also postgraduate students are eligible to have their post graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit of €6,270.

Budget 2021 provided for enhanced postgraduate supports for the academic year 2021/22 including the fee grant amount rising from €2,000 to €3,500 and the income threshold for eligibility for these grants to increase from €31,500, now €54,240. This is an initial step in meeting part of the Government’s commitments regarding SUSI grant support.

The Programme for Government contains commitments to, among other things, review SUSI eligibility criteria, adjacency rates and postgraduate grant supports. On foot of these commitments Ministerial approval was given to commence a review of the Student Grant Scheme.

The review is being conducted by external research/policy consultants Indecon International Economic Consultants. A Steering Committee has been established to provide direction for the external consultants undertaking the review. Its membership includes: the Union of Students of Ireland; Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), SOLAS, the HEA; Irish University Association (IUA); Technological Higher Education Association (THEA); Technological University Dublin (TUD), the Department of Social Protection and officials from my Department. A public consultation and student survey have been carried out as part of the review and the consultants are carrying out their analysis of the data captured in the surveys. The findings will inform policy priorities for the next Estimates process and future considerations regarding the development of student grant policy.