Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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59. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the current SUSI income threshold and related grant supports for students from low and middle-income families in rural constituencies such as Galway east, where transport and accommodation costs are significantly higher due to limited public transport and distance from third-level campuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55760/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I am very conscious of the cost pressures facing students who pay for student accommodation or who commute long distances to their institutions. The Student Grant Scheme also recognises this by providing a higher non-adjacent maintenance grant rate for students whose normal residence is 30km or more from their institution.

Students this academic year are benefitting from Budget 2025 which increased all income thresholds to avail of a student grant including increasing all standard rate thresholds by at least 15%.

In addition, I was delighted in Budget 2026 to: -

• Reduce the student contribution charge permanently by €500 commencing this academic year which will benefit c108,000 students.
• Increase all non-adjacent maintenance grant rates, c30,000 students this academic year will see a pro-rata increase of between €111-239.
• Permanently increase the Post Graduate Fee Contribution Grant by €500 from €4,000 to €4,500 benefitting over 2000 students.

• Non-Adjacent Special Rate increasing by €350
• Band 1 Non-Adjacent Rate increasing by €430
• Bands 2-4 Non-Adjacent Rates increasing by €200