Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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530. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if life-long learning students will be eligible for the reimbursement of fees which is being paid to full-time students (details supplied). [53158/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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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:

- Higher education students who are eligible for my Department's free fees schemes will benefit from a once off reduction in the student contribution rate of €1,000 for the 2022/2023 academic year. Students eligible for a 50% student contribution grant support as paid by SUSI will benefit proportionally and will see the amount they pay to their institution reduce from €1,500 to €1,000.

- A reduction of up to 33% in the contribution fee for apprentices for the 2022/2023 academic year

- A once-off additional maintenance payment to be paid on the 16th December 2022. This payment will be made to all students who are in receipt of a maintenance grant payment and will include PLC students, undergraduate students and postgraduate students who are in receipt of the Special Rate of Grant,

- Post Graduate Students who meet the eligibility criteria for a Postgraduate Fee Contribution Grant will benefit from a once off increase in their grant of €1,000 from €3,500 to €4,500.

- I have also secured a further €8 million of funding for the Student Assistance Fund for the current academic year. This will mean that for the 2022/23 academic year, there will be €17.1m available through this fund.

- PhD students funded by SFI and the IRC will also benefit from a once off payment of €500 in the current academic year.

The once off reduction of €1,000 relates specifically to the student contribution payable by students eligible for free tuition fees under my Department's free fees schemes in academic year 22/23 and will reduce the student contribution payable from €3,000 to €2,000 in 22/23. In this regard, all full time undergraduate students eligible for free fees and paying the student contribution will benefit from this measure.

I am conscious that not all students are eligible for free fees or student grants and so, as part of the cost-of-living measures, I have, as referenced above, allocated a further €8 million of funding for the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) for the current academic year. This Fund provides financial support to students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college and can provide assistance towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. It is open to both full and part-time registered students on courses of not less than one year's duration leading to an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification. Applications can be made under the SAF through the Access Office in a student’s third level institution.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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531. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he intends to extend the recently-announced €1,000 refund to undergraduate students to graduate entry medicine students who face annual fees of between €15,000 and €17,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53215/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As part of Budget 2023, in recognition of the cost of living financial challenges facing full time third level students funded through my Department, I have secured a significant cost of living package for third level students, including a once-off €1,000 state financial support towards the undergraduate student contribution fee for higher education students eligible for my Department’s free fees schemes. The once off reduction of €1,000 relates specifically to the student contribution payable by students eligible for free tuition fees under my Department's free fees schemes in academic year 22/23 and will reduce the student contribution payable from €3,000 to €2,000 in 22/23. In this regard, all full time undergraduate students eligible for free fees and paying the student contribution will benefit from this measure.

Students pursuing Graduate Entry Medicine programmes do so as second degree courses and consequently are not eligible for free fees funding or for student grants.

However, the State does provide support directly to higher education institutions for Graduate Entry Medicine programmes in order to widen access and assist the students pursuing these programmes. The balance of fees is payable by the student.

In July 2022, Government approved a proposal from my Department and the Department of Health to increase the number of medicine places per annum by 200 by 2026, and move the funding of medicine places to a more sustainable basis. This has included an increase of 60 in 2022/2023. 55 of these places are on direct entry programmes, and five are Graduate Entry Medicine.

For new Graduate Entry Medicine places, the State contribution will increase to €14,500 (from the current level of €11,950). For existing places, an increase in the State contribution will be phased in to this level.

It is important to note that this measure is designed to strengthen the sustainability of funding of Graduate Entry Medicine places and to increase the number of places on offer to Irish/EU students. The total level of fees charged to Graduate Entry Medicine students remains a matter for the higher education institutions, consistent with the principle of their institutional autonomy.

I am conscious that not all students are eligible for free fees or student grants and so, as part of the cost-of-living measures, I have allocated a further €8 million of funding for the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) for the current academic year. This Fund provides financial support to students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college and can provide assistance towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. It is open to both full and part-time registered students on courses of not less than one year's duration leading to an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification. Applications can be made under the SAF through the Access Office in a student’s third level institution.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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532. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason that all third level undergraduate and postgraduate students are not eligible for the reduction in fees of €1,000 announced in Budget 2023; the reason that a person (details supplied) who is studying in Limerick University will not benefit from the cost-of-living package for third level students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53268/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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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:

- Higher education students who are eligible for my Department's free fees schemes will benefit from a once off reduction in the student contribution rate of €1,000 for the 2022/2023 academic year. Students eligible for a 50% student contribution grant support as paid by SUSI will benefit proportionally and will see the amount they pay to their institution reduce from €1,500 to €1,000.

- A reduction of up to 33% in the contribution fee for apprentices for the 2022/2023 academic year

- A once-off additional maintenance payment to be paid on the 16th December 2022. This payment will be made to all students who are in receipt of a maintenance grant payment and will include PLC students, undergraduate students and postgraduate students who are in receipt of the Special Rate of Grant,

- Post Graduate Students who meet the eligibility criteria for a Postgraduate Fee Contribution Grant will benefit from a once off increase in their grant of €1,000 from €3,500 to €4,500.

- I have also secured a further €8 million of funding for the Student Assistance Fund for the current academic year. This will mean that for the 2022/23 academic year, there will be €17.1m available through this fund.

- PhD students funded by SFI and the IRC will also benefit from a once off payment of €500 in the current academic year.

The once off reduction of €1,000 relates specifically to the student contribution payable by students eligible for free tuition fees under my Department's free fees schemes in academic year 22/23. Higher Education Institutions determine the applicable fee rates payable by individual students and in this regard where a student wishes to confirm if they are eligible for free fees in academic year 22/23 they should contact the institution attended.

I am conscious that not all students are eligible for free fees or student grants and so, as part of the cost-of-living measures, I have, as referenced above, allocated a further €8 million of funding for the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) for the current academic year. This Fund provides financial support to students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college and can provide assistance towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. It is open to both full and part-time registered students on courses of not less than one year's duration leading to an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification. Applications can be made under the SAF through the Access Office in a student’s third level institution.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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533. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a student (details supplied) will qualify for a reduction in fees in line with announcement made under Budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53321/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As part of Budget 2023, in recognition of the cost of living financial challenges facing full time third level students funded through my Department, I have secured a significant cost of living package for third level students, including a once-off €1,000 state financial support towards the undergraduate student contribution fee for higher education students eligible for my Department’s free fees schemes. This once off support relates specifically to the student contribution payable by students eligible for free tuition fees under my Department's free fees schemes in academic year 22/23.

Free fees schemes funding is available for undergraduate awards only (up to and including level 8). In practice, this means that only the undergraduate portion of an integrated masters programme would be eligible for free fees funding. A full tuition fee is payable by all students for any postgraduate/Level 9 award portion of the course of study.

Higher Education Institutions determine the fee rates payable by individual students and in this regard where a student wishes to confirm if they are eligible for free fees in academic year 22/23 they should contact the institution attended.

Separately, SUSI grant support is available for those students who meet the qualifying criteria such as means, residency, nationality and progression. Different supports are available to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Qualifying students attending integrated/intercalated courses, will be initially assessed in respect of the undergraduate portion of the course. A separate application will be required in respect of the portion of the course deemed to be the postgraduate element.

I am conscious that not all students are eligible for free fees or student grants and so, as part of the cost-of-living measures, I have allocated a further €8 million of funding for the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) for the current academic year. This Fund provides financial support to students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college and can provide assistance towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. It is open to both full and part-time registered students on courses of not less than one year's duration leading to an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification. Applications can be made under the SAF through the Access Office in a student’s third level institution.