Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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937. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for the estimated full cost of increasing SUSI maintenance by 15%, both adjacent and non-adjacent, over two years, by year, in tabular form. [26027/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Government recognises third level education can be a significant cost for families and students.

In budgets 2023 and 2024 My Department was able to provide further financial assistance to students most in need by increasing maintenance grant rates.

• Effective from January 2023, all maintenance grant holders received an increase in their grant rate of between 10% and 14%.
• Effective from January 2024, all non-adjacent maintenance grant rates increased by €615 and all adjacent maintenance grant rates increased by 10%.
• Also effective from January 2024, maintenance for postgraduate students was restored on a similar basis to undergraduate students.

• Increase the Special Rate of Maintenance Threshold from €26,200 to €27,400 in line with Social Welfare increases.
• Increase to all other Maintenance and Student Contribution Grant Thresholds by 15%.
• Increase to Postgraduate Fee Contribution threshold and the Part-Time Scheme Threshold to match the new 100% Student Contribution threshold.
• Allowing certain cohorts of people to apply for the grant by extending the list of approved immigration permissions;
• Ensuring that the first €5000 of any scholarship received by a student will not be included as income in the grant means test;
• An increase to the income deduction for student earnings outside of term time from €7,925 to €8,424 effective for the 2025/26 academic year.