Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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577. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the provisions that are being made available under budget 2023 to assist postgraduate students in relation to the cost-of-living crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50257/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I was pleased to announce as part of Cost-of-Living measures in Budget 2023 a once off increase in the Post Graduate fee grant by €1,000 from €3,500 to €4,500. Postgraduate students who meet the eligibility criteria for a Postgraduate Fee Contribution will benefit from this measure.

Postgraduate students who receive the Special Rate of grant will not receive this as they have their tuition fee contribution paid up to €6,270. Those students already receive the maximum support available to postgraduates and the €1,000 once-off increase is targeted at students who receive a lower level of support. However, postgraduate students on the Special Rate of Maintenance Grant will receive a once-off extra maintenance payment equivalent to one month’s maintenance, to be made by this December. The special rate of maintenance grant will also increase by 14% effective from January 2023.

In addition, from September 2023 postgraduate students will benefit from an increase in the postgraduate fee grant by €500 on the 2022 levels from €3,500 to €4,000. This will benefit postgraduate students whose reckonable income is up to €55,240 and who are not eligible for the special rate of grant. This will come into effect in the 2023/24 academic year. Circa 2,400 students stand to benefit from this increase.

I also announced a further investment of €8 million in the Student Assistance Fund for the current academic year. This will help many students who continue to struggle financially.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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578. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider expanding the postgraduate grant process in order that more students can avail of these much needed supports; if he will increase the financial assistance and grant rates that are currently being provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50258/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I was pleased to announce as part of Cost-of-Living measures in Budget 2023 a once off increase in the Post Graduate fee grant by €1,000 from €3,500 to €4,500. Postgraduate students who meet the eligibility criteria for a Postgraduate Fee Contribution will benefit from this measure.

Postgraduate students who receive the Special Rate of grant will not receive this as they have their tuition fee contribution paid up to €6,270. Those students already receive the maximum support available to postgraduates and the €1,000 once-off increase is targeted at students who receive a lower level of support. However, postgraduate students on the Special Rate of Maintenance Grant will receive a once-off extra maintenance payment equivalent to one month’s maintenance, to be made by this December. The special rate of maintenance grant will also increase by 14% effective from January 2023.

In addition, from September 2023 postgraduate students will benefit from an increase in the postgraduate fee grant by €500 on the 2022 levels from €3,500 to €4,000. This will benefit postgraduate students whose reckonable income is up to €55,240 and who are not eligible for the special rate of grant. This will come into effect in the 2023/24 academic year. Circa 2,400 students stand to benefit from this increase.

I also announced a further investment of €8 million in the Student Assistance Fund for the current academic year. This will help many students who continue to struggle financially.