Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In Budget 2024, I am once again providing a significant package of measures to support students and made it a priority to reduce the cost of third level education. I acknowledge that cost is a barrier to education and I am continuing to break down that barrier and make further and higher education more accessible for more people.

For the second year in a row, I have reduced the student contribution fee by €1,000 for free fees eligible students. This reduction will be applied automatically. If your household income is less than €100,000, you are eligible for a further €500 reduction in fees meaning the fee for college will be €1,500.

There will be a €1,000 increase to the postgraduate tuition fee contribution grant for student grant recipients to be paid by SUSI on behalf of the students.

€31 million has been provided to enhance the existing student support scheme which is administered by SUSI. These measures will see

- increases to all non-adjacent maintenance rates by €615 and all adjacent maintenance rates by 10%. This is a significant increase particularly for those who live further away from college and will help those who need it most.

- maintenance to postgraduates restored on a similar basis to undergraduates building on the positive changes to the Postgraduate Fee Contribution in the last two budgets and a really important step in helping students continue their educational journey. Postgraduate students who already get a maintenance grant at the special rate will also benefit from the maintenance grant increases from January.

- Increasing student grant income thresholds with Band 4 maintenance grant threshold going from €46,790 to €50,840 so that more students will be eligible for a maintenance grant. This will be a benefit of €612 for adjacent students and €1,666 for non-adjacent students.

- Increases to the 100% Student Contribution threshold by 10% to €55,924. This means eligible families under this income will no longer have to pay a student contribution fee from September 2024.

For the first time ever, the student grant scheme will be extended to part-time students. I believe that this has the potential to be seismic in the context of opening up opportunities for people and is a major step in the reform of the education system.

There is additional funding to support students at a time of increased strain from cost of living, through the Student Assistance Fund.

In Further Education & Training, I have again recognised the vital role Apprentices play in our society and in our communities and I’ve announced a once-off reduction of 33% in the contribution fee for the 11,000 apprentices in higher education. I am also providing additional funding for bursaries to increase access to apprenticeships for under-represented groups. Budget 2024 has abolished all fees for Post-Leaving Certificate courses including exam fees and equipment for students. This builds on our decision to abolish the €200 Levy in 2022. This additional funding will ensure all 24,000 learners across the country do not face charges fee, when pursuing a PLC course from September next.

I believe these will make a substantive difference to third level students and their families.