Vol. 475 No. 7
157 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education whether she will revise the 15 mile limit ruling for the incoming academic year and thereby strengthen the financial assistance available to those less well-off, who are perhaps 13 to 14 miles away from their college; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5755/97]
Under the student support schemes, maintenance grants are payable at either adjacent or non-adjacent rates. The adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable where the grant holder'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.
Prior to 1995, students who were residing more than 15 miles from college and who could reasonably be expected to travel to college from home each day having regard to the journey and available public transport, were only entitled to the adjacent rate of maintenance grant. I amended the schemes to provide that the non-adjacent rate would be payable in all circumstances where the student resides more than 15 miles from college.
As I have already indicated to the Deputy, I believe that the existing arrangements are reasonable and I have no plans to review the qualifying criteria for payment of the adjacent and non-adjacent rates of maintenance grant.
