Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising matters in relation to the cost of supporting students with higher education costs.

I am acutely conscious of the challenges facing students and the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address cost as a barrier to education. I also recognise that costs are not limited to tuition fees payable by students and that 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.

Under my Department's Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the State pays tuition fees, exclusive of the student contribution, on behalf of eligible first time undergraduate students attending approved full-time undergraduate courses. In order to qualify for funding under the Department’s Free Fees Initiative, students must meet the criteria of the scheme including previous education attendance, progression and attainment.

The assessment of eligibility under the FFI in individual cases is a matter for each higher education institution to determine within the terms of the scheme. The institutions submit a tuition fee claim to the Department in relation to eligible students. My Department and the HEA do not collate details on the number of students that applied for FFI funding and that the institution deemed ineligible for funding under the terms of the scheme.

Under the previous education criteria of the FFI, students pursuing second level 8 degree courses, including graduate entry programmes, are not eligible for the FFI.

In advance of Budget 2024 this autumn, and as I did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. I will have regard to these options, including any options in respect of adjusting tuition fee supports or tuition fee contribution costs, when making proposals in the context of budget discussions.