Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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164. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated amount it would cost to reduce the student contribution charge by €1,000; the estimated amount it would cost to abolish the student contribution charge completely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18687/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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At the outset it is important to highlight the very substantial financial support, currently well in excess of half a billion euros, provided by the taxpayer towards tuition fees and the student contribution for students in higher education. This comprises State funding of tuition costs amounting to over €357m for more than 146,000 eligible higher education students in 2020/2021. It also includes €190m paid by the Exchequer under the Student Grant Scheme in respect of all or some of the €3,000 student contribution which benefits over 65,000 or 45% of free fees eligible students.

The student contribution replaced the student registration fees levied by Higher Education Institutions and 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.

The estimated costs of providing for a reduced student contribution, after an associated reduction in the student grant support budget, in 2022/2023 are set out below:

- €1,000 [reduce to €2,000]: would cost the Department an estimated €85.3million per annum

- €3,000 reduction and removal would cost the Department an estimated €256million per annum

The above estimates are based on the number of students that qualified for free fees funding in the academic year 2020/21; taking into account overall projected increase in student numbers and net of the associated reduction in the student grant scheme budget which is paid by the exchequer on behalf of eligible students.