Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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2591.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider introducing a disregard of student income from part-time employment in the overall household reckonable income assessment for SUSI grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30950/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for SUSI to determine. The assessment of means under the Student Grant Scheme is carried out by SUSI and is based on reckonable income, which is gross income from all sources in the previous financial year, before the deduction of income tax or the universal social charge. For the 2024/25 academic year, student grant applications will be assessed based on gross income from all sources for the reference period 1st January 2023 to 31st December 2023.

Under Article 22(5)(b) of the Student Grant Scheme 2024, income from an applicant’s employment which represents holiday earnings outside of term time but within the reference period up to a maximum of €7,925 can be deducted from the total reckonable income assessed. This was increased from €6,552 as part of Budget 2024 in line with the increase in minimum wage.