Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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447. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if one-off payments in budget 2023 will be counted as income in the means test when applying for the SUSI grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55723/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As part of Budget 2023 I have secured a significant cost of living package for third level students. The cost-of-living package, to take effect before the end of 2022, includes:

- A once-off €1,000 state financial support towards the undergraduate student contribution fee for higher education students eligible for the free fees initiative;

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

- A once-off extra payment for all student maintenance grant recipients;

- A once-off increase of €1,000 in the support to SUSI qualified Post Graduate students, increasing from €3,500 to €4,500.

The statutory based Student Grant Scheme and Student Support Regulations are reviewed annually by my Department, following consultation with various stakeholders and other Government Departments including the Department of Social Protection. As the Cost of Living measures announced in Budget 2023 are once-off, they will not considered part of a person's income.

The Student Grant Scheme and Student Support Regulations for the 2022/23 academic year are expected to be published in March 2023. The opening of SUSI's online grant application system will coincide with the publication of the scheme.