Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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2735. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the reckonable income limits for SUSI grants and consider assessing them based on net income rather than gross income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47025/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I am acutely conscious of the financial challenges facing students and the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address costs as a barrier to education. I am committed to easing this burden for students and their families in a financially sustainable way.

The main support available to assist students with the cost of attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved full-time course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.

The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.

Over the past number of Budgets my Department has made significant enhancements to the Student Grant Scheme, including changes to income thresholds and maintenance rates, benefitting thousands of students.

From September 2025 all income threshold limits for Student Grants were increased:

• The special rate of maintenance threshold has increased from €26,200 to €27,400 in line with Social Welfare increases.
• All other maintenance and student contribution grant thresholds increased by 15%.
• The postgraduate fee contribution threshold and the part-time fee scheme threshold have increased to match the new 100% Student Contribution threshold which is now €64,315.