Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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2635.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reducing postgraduate and international fees by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33105/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising matters in relation to the cost of providing supports for postgraduate and international students.

The Deputy will be aware that there are supports available to eligible students undertaking postgraduate study under the student grant scheme. Details of these postgraduate grant supports are available at:

Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs, including the management of academic affairs.

Postgraduate and international fees are set by each higher education institution. The higher education tuition fee payable by a postgraduate and/or international student can vary depending on a variety factors including the type of course and the fee rates of a particular institution.

My Department does not collect data on postgraduate or international tuition fees charged by autonomous higher education institutions. An estimated cost of the State introducing a fee subsidy of 10% for all postgraduate or international fees is therefore not available.

In advance of Budget 2025 this autumn I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to reduce the cost of attending higher education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to improve student supports. I will have regard to these options when making proposals in the context of budget discussions.