Gerry Reynolds
Question:351 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim has been deemed ineligible for a post leaving certificate maintenance grant. [26334/98]
Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.
Under the terms of the 1998 maintenance grants scheme for post leaving certificate students, a candidate's reckonable income for the purposes of the award of a grant is the candidate's gross income from all sources and that of his/her parents or guardians where appliable. I understand from County Leitrim VEC that the reckonable income in this case exceeds the relevant income limits for the award of a maintenance grant.
Jimmy Deenihan
Question:352 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to introduce a grant support scheme for students attending private third level colleges, including Lee College, Tralee, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26347/98]
The higher education grants scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. The annual higher education grants scheme, which I approve, sets out a list of approved institutions for the purposes of the scheme. An approved institution is defined to mean a university, university college or other institution of higher education in so far as it provides a course or courses of not less than two years duration, being a course or courses which the Minister for Education and Science approves for the time being for the purposes of the Acts.
The approved institutions mainly comprise the publicly funded third level institutions. However, there is a number of religious and other institutions that have been admitted to the scheme over the years.
Any extension of the existing arrangements in relation to the scope of the scheme must be considered in the light of overall resource constraints and the competing demands within the education sector. My priorities in the area of student support have been to introduce a maintenance grants scheme for students attending PLC courses in the current academic year and to address the position of mature students under the various grant schemes. I have no plans at present to extend the scope of the higher education grants scheme to additional colleges.