Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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2065. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the one-off payment of €1,000 towards the student contribution will be made available to a student (details supplied) who did Year 1 of a course in 2019/2020 and received the Free Fees Initiative and who then did Year 1 of a different course in a different college in 2022/2023, but who was precluded from the payment as they did not get the free fees in the first year of their current course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38698/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As part of Budget 2023, the Government approved a once off reduction of €1,000 in the student contribution payable by students eligible for free tuition fees under the Free Fees Initiative (FFI) in academic year 22/23.

This once-off support related specifically to the student contribution payable by students eligible for free tuition fees under the FFI in academic year 22/23. Where students did not qualify for free fees funding, they were not eligible to avail of this support and would pay the appropriate tuition fee as determined by each higher education institution.

As the assessment for free fees eligibility takes place in the institution attended it is not possible for the Department to advise individual students on their eligibility for free fees or their eligibility to avail of the reduced student contribution under reference during 2022/23.

In this regard where a student requires guidance on the tuition fees applicable to a course of study it is necessary that a student engage with the fees office of the institution attended for advice appropriate to their own individual circumstances.