Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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136. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he recognises the need to remove all fees for and financial barriers to further and higher education given the shortage of graduates and postgraduates across multiple sectors of Ireland’s economy and public services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51704/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Progressive implementation of measures to address cost as a barrier to education is a key objective for my Department. I also recognise that costs are not limited to tuition fees and students have real cost of living challenges such as fuel, food or accommodation and have specific costs associated with their courses such as books or materials.

In Budget 2023, I gave priority to introducing a significant package of measures that will see students and families directly benefit and will help them tackle the challenges posed by the increased cost of living.

In 2022 these measures include:

- A reduction of €1,000 in the student contribution for 2022/23

- A reduction of up to 33% in the contribution fee for apprentices

- Additional maintenance payment for SUSI maintenance recipients in 2022

- an increase in the SUSI Postgraduate Fee Contribution Grant

- increased funding for the Student Assistance Fund for the current academic year.

From January 2023, the SUSI special rate and Band 1 rate of maintenance will increase by 14% and all other maintenance grant rates will increase by 10%.

Furthermore, from the academic year 2023/2024, I am introducing a new SUSI band whereby those eligible will have a €500 reduction on student contribution. This will benefit some 42,000 students.

I am also increasing the threshold for the student contribution 50% grant to benefit some 8,000 students for the next academic year.

The Post Graduate Fee Contribution Grant will increase by €500 from €3,500 to €4,000 from September 2023. We have also made changes to allowable income and reduced eligibility criteria for “second chance” mature students from 5 to 3 years.

These changes, in addition to previous measures such as removing the €200 PLC levy from September of this year, will see a real and tangible reduction in costs for students and families.