Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1061. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider a lower threshold for SUSI qualification in respect of applicants from households in receipt of a widow's pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39721/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Student grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period.

The Widows’s/Widower’s and Surviving Civil Partner's pension are counted as reckonable income for the purposes of the student grant means test in a similar fashion to other Department of Social Protection payments such as Jobseekers Benefit/Allowance.

However, the Scheme has a number of measures aimed at supporting those who need assistance.

A higher rate of grant called the Special Rate of Grant is available to eligible students who's total reckonableincome is under €25,000 in circumstances where that income includes an eligible long term payment as set out in the Student Grant Scheme.

The Widow's/Widowers and Surviving Civil Partner's pension are considered eligible long term payments under the Scheme. This means that families whose reckonable income is under €25,000 andincludes one of these pensions may be eligible for the highest form of grant subject to meeting all other eligibility criteria including in respect of residence and nationality.

The Student Grant Scheme lists under Section 22 (4) a number of payments that are not included in calculating reckonable income. These mean that while actual family incomes may exceed €25,000 because the scheme does not count other specified income that the family may be in receipt of their reckonable income may be less for the purposes of eligibility. Some examples of income not counted include:

Child Benefit

Fuel Allowance

Exceptional Needs Payments

Housing Assistance Payments

Living alone allowance

Rent Supplement

The Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner Grant

In addition, student earnings earned outside of term time up to €6552 may be disregarded when calculating reckonable income. Additional income increments may also be allowable where a family has 4 or more children or have two or more children in college.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1062. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider extending SUSI supports to lone parents participating in part-time courses to help offset childcare costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39722/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Student Grant Scheme is currently targeted at full-time students. Courses that are part-time, less than two years in duration, undertaken online or as distance courses, or which lead to a special purpose or distance award, are not currently approved for the Student Grant Scheme.

The Springboard+ and HCI initiatives funded by my Department do offer a number of part-time courses which are free or heavily subsidised courses and the student assistance fund and fund for students with a disability are available for eligible part-time students.

However, 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.

Through sectoral engagements, there is an increased recognition that supporting part-time, blended and postgraduate learning has the potential to transform access to learning in the medium term, once existing reform commitments are embedded within the sector.

That is why in the context of Budget 2024 my Department is currently considering options to provide greater support to part-time learners in higher education. The issue of expanding part-time delivery of third-level education in Ireland is complex and requires significant planning. Due to the level of complexity the creation of a pathfinder proposal is currently being developed by my Department.

The National Access Plan has called for more flexible forms of learning for target groups which would include lone parents and those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. One of the key considerations for this year's budget is to reduce child poverty. We know that Education has the power to transform lives, lift people out of poverty and break down cycles of intergenerational poverty.