David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans, if any, to make changes to the SUSI grant eligibility criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6899/23]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grant can make a significant difference in the lives of students who receive it. Can the Minister provide an outline of proposed changes to the eligibility criteria to expand the grant to eligible students?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Over the past number of years, I have delivered a range of enhancements to the student support scheme to better meet the needs of students and families, and it is only right and proper that we do. Over the course of the past three budgets and, in addition, separate and distinct from the one-off cost of living measures, I have significantly increased the rate of the grant, with the most recent improvements taking effect last month. I have increased the income limit for students availing of the 50% undergraduate student contribution. I introduced a new student contribution grant reducing the student contribution to be paid by €500 for qualifying families on incomes of between €62,000 and €100,000. This will provide support to between 40,000 and 50,000 students who would not previously have been eligible for SUSI or State support.

We have introduced a new rental income disregard of up to €14,000 to support the rent-a-room relief scheme of which many students are availing. We increased the deduction allowable for student earnings outside of term time from €4,500 to €6,552. We reduced the period for a break in studies from five years to three years for second-chance mature students. We have increased the income thresholds to qualify for the standard rate of student grant, reduced the qualifying distance for the non-adjacent rate of grant from 45 km to 30 km and enhanced postgraduate supports.

As I did for the first time last year, it is my intention to publish a cost of education options paper, which will set out options for further enhancement of student supports for consideration as part of the budgetary process in the autumn. This is quite a good process. The Department of Social Welfare has been doing it on tax for years. We need to put the options out early. I accept that the budget was moved forward earlier last year so I would like to give people a little more time this year. We need to put out all the options and cost them at Government then let the Opposition, the public and students see the menu of options on how we reduce the cost of education. We have taken measures, however. Since my Department was established - we did not have a Department in this space before - we have taken very concrete actions to try to improve and overhaul the SUSI grant scheme. I would be the first to say we have much more to do in this space in terms of fees and grants. I intend to do more in the next budget.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his response. We are all aware in this House of the importance of the SUSI grant and its role in enabling students to pursue their educational and career goals. It is an important element whereby students can have access to basic necessities in our current cost-of-living crisis around food, housing and healthcare. Certainly, it reduces the financial burden on many people and provides access to education, which is crucially important. The Minister has made significant strides to date with regard to expanding additional students into the scheme. Up to 50,000 students now have access to the SUSI grant. What priorities is the Minister making at present in terms of the review process? What will the timeline be with regard to the current review that is being undertaken?

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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I wish to raise with the Minister the issue of the special rate of SUSI. There have been adjustments in the social welfare payments and cost-of-living measures. We have not seen a corresponding increase in the threshold for the special rate, however. Can the Minister assure anxious parents and students that no one will lose out on the special rate of SUSI as a result of any social welfare payment increases or the cost-of-living supports? That would go a long way towards reassuring people.

People are really struggling. The problem, as with every year, is that SUSI does not always reflect the financial reality of what is going on in households in terms of the money that is available or the students and families who miss out because they just miss the threshold. If the Minister could reassure those people on the special rate, it would go some way to helping families.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I will say to Deputy Dillon that there are a number of areas in which I want to make progress. There are three in particular, one of which we discussed earlier regarding the income disregard for a student who is working a shift in a pub or hotel at the weekend and who is worried about losing his or her grant. That is something logical on which we can move fairly swiftly.

The second issue is part-time students. I am frustrated about this and want to get it resolved. I have been very clear in relation to this. I have spoken to Professor Tom Collins, who is doing a very good job of chairing a group that is doing some work on this. This is an area on which I want to move and I believe there is unanimity across the House in that regard.

The third area is the income threshold piece. We need to make sure that as incomes rise, which they are doing in Ireland, people can continue to access student supports. We have increased them in recent years. We need to do more. Those three areas are not exclusive or exhaustive but they are three areas in which we can make progress.

Deputy Conway-Walsh's question is important. We have always adopted the approach that when a person gets a social welfare rate increase, we must make sure it does not have a knock-on effect in losing another one. As the Deputy knows, SUSI is retrospective in that it goes back a year. I will be working to make sure there is no fall-out of the special rate as a result of someone getting a social welfare increase. It will be a matter for the Estimates formally but that has always been a tradition we have taken.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister's comments with regard to the income thresholds. That is a significant barrier for many applicants. I also suggest broadening the types of courses for applicants to make applications towards their eligibility. Simplifying the application process and reducing the paperwork involved would encourage more students to apply. We are inundated in our office at times with regard to the amount of paperwork that is needed. Certainly, however, that is an area that may be advantageous for people who are making applications.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I will certainly reflect on the issue of paperwork and accessibility and so forth. As the Deputy acknowledged, SUSI staff are working extremely hard as they deal with a huge volume of applications and queries. I will talk to them to make sure it is as user-friendly a system as possible.

With regard to that issue of broadening the types of courses that qualify, my first intention would be part-time courses because there will be many students, including some the Deputy would know in Atlantic Technological University, who may wish to or have to study part time for a whole variety of reasons. They will still end up with the same qualifications but they are doing it in a different way. If that is the starting point, there are a whole variety of part-time courses. However, I am talking about students who end up with the same qualification they would have received if they did it full time but did it part time because they are perhaps holding down a job, caring for a relative or child or have a disability and that way was just not best for them. That is the area in which I would like to move. I am in agreement with the Deputy on that.