Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Oct 1999

Vol. 509 No. 4

Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

348 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Education and Science when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8 will receive a reply from his Department's legal section which is investigating if she is entitled to a higher education grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20425/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

The higher education grant schemes operate under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. These Acts define a mature student to mean a person of not less than 23 years of age, or such other age as may stand specified for the time being in regulations made by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance, who have secured places in approved institutions and have reached that age on the first day of January, or such other date as may be prescribed from time to time by the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance, in the year of entry to such institutions. The Acts further provide, inter alia, for the making of grants to mature students whose means and those of their parents, where the mature students are dependent on their parents, and the means of their spouses, if any, do not exceed prescribed limits.

Under the terms of the higher education grant schemes, mature students are categorised as either independent mature students or mature students dependent on parents. An independent mature student is defined to mean a mature student who was not ordinarily resident at home with his or her parents from the October preceding their entry to an approved course. Independent mature students are deemed to be self-supporting and are assessed without reference to either their parents' income or address.

When assessing the means of students other that mature students, the Acts specify that the students' means and those of their parents or guardians must be below a prescribed limit. This provision requires that parental income be taken into account irrespective of the individual circum stances in any case where the student is not a mature student. I understand that the student referred to in the Deputy's question wishes to be assessed as an independent mature candidate. However, as she was not aged 23 years on 1 January prior to the commencement of her third level course her eligibility for assistance must be assessed with reference to her parental income.

I appreciate the difficulties that these provisions can give rise to in individual cases such as that outlined by the Deputy and officials in my Department are currently examining the issues concerned. I will inform the Deputy on the outcome of the case in due course.