Written answers
Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Department of Education and Skills
Grant Payments
Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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945. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the student maintenance grant by €1,000 for full-time students at third level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31791/25]
James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Student Grant Scheme is a demand led scheme and as such the number of students who are eligible for grants varies from year to year. As of 30th May 2025, there are approximately 48,622 students in receipt of a maintenance grant at PLC, Postgraduate and Undergraduate level, if the same number of students were eligible for a grant in 2025/2026 an additional €1,000 would cost over €48m.
Improvements to the student grant scheme has always been a priority for my Department and many improvements have been made benefitting thousands of students over the past few budgets.
As you may be aware from September 2025, I will be increasing all standard maintenance grant thresholds by 15% along with other measures as announced in Budget 2025.
Ahead of Budget 2026, I will publish an options paper, which will identify costs and potential impacts of various policy options aimed at reducing the cost of higher education. This paper will inform decision-making ahead of Budget 2026.
While I cannot confirm specific items that will be included in the next Budget, please be assured that options to support students and reduce financial barriers will be a key consideration as part of the negotiations.
Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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946. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the non-adjacent maintenance grant by €1,000 for full-time students at undergraduate and postgraduate level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31792/25]
James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Student Grant Scheme is a demand led scheme and as such the number of students who are eligible for grants varies from year to year. As of 30th May 2025, there are approximately 26,583 students in receipt of a non-adjacent maintenance grant at Postgraduate and Undergraduate level. If the same number of students were eligible for a grant in 2025/2026 an additional €1,000 would cost over €26.5m.
Improvements to the student grant scheme has always been a priority for my Department and many improvements have been made benefitting thousands of students over the past few budgets.
As you may be aware from September 2025, I will be increasing all standard maintenance grant thresholds by 15% along with other measures as announced in Budget 2025.
Ahead of Budget 2026, I will publish an options paper, which will identify costs and potential impacts of various policy options aimed at reducing the cost of higher education. This paper will inform decision-making ahead of Budget 2026.
While I cannot confirm specific items that will be included in the next Budget, please be assured that options to support students and reduce financial barriers will be a key consideration as part of the negotiations.
Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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947. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of extending the current fee contribution grants for eligible undergraduate part-time students to part-time post-graduate students. [31793/25]
James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is continually monitoring the student supports available in order to make improvements where possible, subject to budgetary constraints.
Up until recently, there was no fee support for students undertaking part-time courses. As the Deputy may be aware, I recently launched the new Part Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses. This Scheme is limited to undergraduate courses at present as the Student Support Act 2011 only allows for part-time courses at undergraduate level to be approved. Any future extension to postgraduate courses would require a change to the Student Support Act 2011.
Students on part-time postgraduate programmes may also be eligible to apply to the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) for financial support. This Fund provides financial support to full and part-time students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college and can provide assistance towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. Applications can be made to this Fund through the Access Office in a student’s higher education institution.
Ahead of Budget 2026, I will publish an options paper, which will identify costs and potential impacts of various policy options aimed at reducing the cost of higher education. This paper will inform decision-making ahead of Budget 2026.
Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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948. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the Government will act on their commitment in the Programme for Government to provide subsidies for students pursuing graduate entry medicine in line with undergraduate medicine; the methods of financial support that will be developed; the timeline for reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32001/25]
James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government agreed across all the Government parties is the blueprint for the commitments of this term of office. Under the heading of Building a Healthier Future, the Programme indicates that this Government will:
- Introduce a tuition fee support scheme for Graduate Entry Medicine.
- Provide more graduate entry medicine programmes focused on preparing student for careers in rural and remote medicine, ensuring those in under-served areas have access to skilled healthcare professionals.
In addition to this, my Department will publish an Options Paper in the Autumn which will set out measures to help reduce the cost of education for students and families across Further and Higher Education, Research and Apprenticeships for consideration as part of the budgetary process, including the sequencing of Programme for Government commitments within available resources.
The options assessment is intended to identify costs and potential impacts by the Department and is published without prejudice to eventual Government decisions.
Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is a pathway for degree holders who want to pursue a medical career on an accelerated four-year programme. Students pursuing GEM programmes do so as second degree courses and consequently are not eligible for free fees funding. They are also not eligible for funding under the Student Grant Scheme as they do not meet the progression criteria of the Scheme.
The State currently provides a subsidy, via the Higher Education Authority, to HEIs towards the cost of GEM provision for EU student places. The subsidy provides support for broadening access to GEM programmes by assisting HEIs in providing the courses at lower fee rates for EU students than would otherwise be required for the HEIs to offer the courses on a sustainable basis.
In terms of student supports, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science provides bursaries to students who have been identified by their higher education institution as being the most socio-economically disadvantaged students under the National Access Plan. Students who avail of these bursaries will now be allowed to retain them, if they choose to enter GEM programmes. This is a welcome development and will also help diversify the profession.
Students on GEM programmes may be eligible to apply to the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) for financial support. This Fund provides financial support to full and part-time students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college and can provide assistance towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. Applications can be made to this Fund through the Access Office in a student’s higher education institution.
In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be available in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. A rent tax credit may also be available. More information is available on www.revenue.ie.
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