Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Feb 1997

Vol. 474 No. 6

Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

174 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education the criteria in relation to maintaining a second residence while pursuing a postgraduate course; and if she will make a statement on the eligibility criteria for postgraduate grants. [3621/97]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

Under the terms of the higher education grants scheme, a candidate's normal residence is defined as the permanent or ordinary address of the candidate's parents of guardians, except in the case of an independent mature candidate in which case it is the candidate's address while attending college.

Maintenance grants are payable at either adjacent or non-adjacent rates. The adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable where the grantholder's normal residence is 15 miles or less from the college which he or she is attending. The non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable in all other cases. Where independent mature students can produce evidence that they are maintaining a residence other than their address while attending college and the non-college residence is more than 15 miles from the college, it is open to the local authority to regard that address as the normal residence and to award a non-adjacent maintenance grant. This applies to students pursuing courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.