Vol. 497 No. 6
59 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science the proposals, if any, he has to change the situation whereby a greater proportion of mature students are paid the adjacent rate of third level maintenance grants as against other students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25855/98]
219 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will change the terms of reference of the higher education grant scheme for mature students with particular reference to the requirement that independent mature students must produce evidence that they are maintaining a residence other than their address while attending college and the non-college residence must be more than 15 miles from the college in order to qualify for the full maintenance grant [24460/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 219 together.
Under the terms of the student support schemes, the rate of maintenance grant payable is determined by reference to the distance from the student's normal residence to the college which s/he is attending. In the case of independent mature students, normal residence is defined as the address of the candidate while in attendance at college. If this address is 15 miles or less from the college which s/he is attending, the adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable. If the address is more that 15 miles from the college, the non-adjacent rate of grant is payable.
However, where an independent mature student can produce supporting evidence that s/he is maintaining a residence other than his/her address while attending college, it will be open to the awarding authority to regard that address as the candidate's normal residence.
My Department does not receive a breakdown of mature students by reference to the category of grant received. However, I am concerned about mature students generally and independent mature students in particular and I am reviewing the current arrangements.
