Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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89. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who will benefit from the double payment of student grants per county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51092/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I was very pleased to be in a position to provide an additional maintenance payment to SUSI maintenance grant holders through the cost-of-living measures. I can confirm that this additional maintenance grant payment will be paid on the 16th December to eligible students.

As part of Budget 2023, I have also increased the Maintenance Grant rates by 14% for those on the Special and Band 1 rate of grant and by 10% for all other Maintenance grant holders. Importantly, for students in the current academic year the change in rates will be effectivefrom January 2023 so students in the current academic year will see their grant payments increase proportionately once this measure comes into effect in January.

To put this in context a SUSI maintenance grant holder in the 22/23 academic year who is a recipient of the Special Rate non-adjacent ratewill benefit by over €1,000 from both the additional maintenance payment and increase of grant rates effective from January 2023.

As the deputy will appreciate the SUSI application process is still open and applications are still being processed. However, as of the 7th of October, SUSI data shows that 49,408 students are expected to benefit from the additional monthly maintenance payment. I will of course arrange for the full breakdown of this data on a County by County basis to be sent directly to the Deputy.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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92. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to extend the SUSI grant to part-time students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51699/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I have been consistent in my position that we need to develop our student support system over time to ensure that it supports more flexible forms of learning.

At present, the student grant scheme is targeted at full-time students in approved institutions. Courses that are part-time, less than two years in duration or leading to a special purpose or minor award, rather than a major award, are not approved for the purposes of the Student Grant Scheme. Online and Distance Learning Courses are regarded as part-time courses for student grant purposes and, as such, do not qualify for grant assistance.

I have recently published three significant policy documents which will shape the evolution of the student support scheme over the coming years.

The Review of the Student Grant Scheme contains a recommendation that the Government should consider extending supports to more flexible forms of learning including blended/online & part-time.

The National Access Plan, which I launched in August, contains five student centred goals, one of which is flexibility and a key objective in this regard is to better support priority group students who study on a flexible basis.

Finally Funding the Future sets out a multi-annual funding and reform framework for higher education, including the need to support more flexible forms of learning.

To take forward implementation of Funding the Future, I established a steering group which I chair alongside Professor Anne Looney and Professor Tom Collins. Two working groups have been established led by Professors Looney and Collins. The working group focused on skills, participation and cost is examining the potential to support students to avail of more flexible learning opportunities.

I will consider the product of this work, and also any engagement which will take place with the sector on managing delivery from an institutional perspective, in the context of future Estimates processes and alongside other priorities in the Funding the Future framework.