Vol. 461 No. 7
36 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Education if students attending third-level colleges in Great Britain will be entitled to maintenance grants under the higher education grants scheme in the 1996/1997 academic year as announced in the 1995 budget. [3753/96]
50 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Education if students attending third-level colleges in Great Britain will be entitled to maintenance grants under the higher education grants scheme in the 1996/1997 academic year as announced in the 1995 budget. [3760/96]
56 Mr. D. Wallace asked the Minister for Education if students attending third-level colleges in Great Britain will be entitled to maintenance grants under the higher education grants scheme in the 1996/1997 academic year as announced in the 1995 budget. [3758/96]
72 Mr. O'Leary asked the Minister for Education if students attending third-level colleges in Great Britain will be entitled to maintenance grants under the higher education grants scheme in the 1996/1997 academic year as announced in the 1995 budget. [3750/96]
77 Mr. O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education if students attending third-level colleges in Great Britain will be entitled to maintenance grants under the higher education grants scheme in the 1996/1997 academic year as announced in the 1995 budget. [3752/96]
83 Mr. R. Burke asked the Minister for Education if students attending third-level colleges in Great Britain will be entitled to maintenance grants under the higher education grants scheme in the 1996/1997 academic year as announced in the 1995 budget. [3759/96]
91 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for Education if students attending third-level colleges in Great Britain will be entitled to maintenance grants under the higher education grants scheme in the 1996/1997 academic year as announced in the 1995 budget. [3756/96]
99 Dr. Moffatt asked the Minister for Education if students attending third-level colleges in Great Britain will be entitled to maintenance grants under the higher education grants scheme in the 1996/1997 academic year as announced in the 1995 budget. [3761/96]
102 Mr. Foley asked the Minister for Education if students attending third-level colleges in Great Britain will be entitled to maintenance grants under the higher education grants scheme in the 1996/1997 academic year as announced in the 1995 budget. [3755/96]
215 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to make maintenance grants available to students attending colleges in the United Kingdom. [3754/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 36, 50, 56, 72, 77, 83, 91, 99, 102 and 215 together.
A decision in principle has been taken to extend maintenance grants to approved courses being followed by Irish students in Great Britain which effect from the 1996-97 academic year.
The detailed arrangements to give effect to this are being drawn up in my Department at present. The necessary changes will be detailed in the 1996 student support schemes together with any other amendments that may prove necessary in the light of the normal ongoing review of the schemes.
In line with the practice in recent years, I expect the schemes will issue to the local authorities and Vocational Education Committees by early May.
Can the Minister give the House some indication of the courses likely to be approved?
I have already said that this work is continuing and, when completed, the relevant information will be issued simultaneously with the implementation of the schemes.
Is the Minister aware that many parents are asking questions on that issue? A full year having elapsed since January 1995 when she announced that Irish students attending courses in Great Britain would be entitled to maintenance grants under the higher education grants scheme, does the Minister agree that those contemplating pursuing such third level courses in Great Britain next year should be given some indication now of the type of courses deemed eligible for maintenance grants or support from this State? It is getting late in the day and decisions have to be taken which involve expense for many people. People are endeavouring to make that decision based on firm knowledge. If their son or daughter selects a particular course at a college they want to know whether it is eligible for funding.
The Deputy is straying somewhat outside the bounds of the question.
I take the points made by the Deputy but the budget provided that maintenance grants would apply from the academic year 1996-97, which begins in September 1996. We are working on the scheme and recently we have been able to bring forward details of all schemes. A parent whose child is planning to go to college here or abroad has an interest in the scheme. The Minister for Finance said, it is also intended that maintenance grants, under the higher education grants scheme, will be extended to approved courses being followed by Irish students abroad, with effect from the 1996-97 academic year. I accept the points made by the Deputy and I will come forward with further information on maintenance grants for those who qualify as soon as possible.
I welcome the announcement concerning the change in the system and congratulate the Minister. Deputy Martin should be patient considering that for the ten years his party was in Government no decision was made in this regard.
What about the rich farmers in Tipperary?
When the scheme comes into effect will it apply to all students, including those who are mid way through their course or will it apply only to first year students?
That question has been put but has not yet been answered. I thank the Deputy for welcoming the proposal and the many others I have put in place to ensure we open the gates to third level education.
Will the Minister agree it is too late this year given that the applications were sent to the British universities in December 1995? Will she advise whether colleges in the United Kingdom have been asked to make courses available to be approved or will the Department of Education approve the courses?
I do not believe it is too late because it is always the position that students do not know the results of their examinations and yet plan and take out different options when completing application forms. The Department, with the Higher Education Authority, will submit its proposals to me on the mechanism for approval of courses. I will certainly ask the questions which were asked in the House but I expect the information will be available. The information concerning maintenance grants is available each year regardless of whether a student is studying in Ireland or in Northern Ireland and will be available earlier this year — in May — than under previous Administrations. That is well in advance of taking the exam in which they will seek to have the qualification to take up one of the options chosen. In completing application forms students have many options and I note the comments made here today.
Will the Minister indicate what financial provision has been made in this year's Estimate for the implementation of the proposal?
I do not know the specific sum but I know the reckonable income limits for those on maintenance grants.
Surely some exercise has been done in the Department?
We do not put aside a specific sum of money for this purpose. If people qualify for the grant they qualify. This is one of the demand driven elements of the budget.
Estimates are estimates.
There are some years in which the cohort of students who qualify for maintenance grants is higher than others and it would be grossly unfair to cap it in any way.
Perhaps the Minister would improve——
There are income limits. If students qualify under the guidelines laid down maintenance grants will be paid. It has slipped the Deputy's mind to put on record that this year there has been a 5 per cent increase in maintenance grants and the income limit is keeping pace.
Has that increase been allowed for in the Estimate?
The news is good.
