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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Nov 1999

Vol. 509 No. 6

Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.

Seán Haughey

Question:

556 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to change the higher education grant scheme in relation to the distinction between the fees adjacent rate of £676 and the fees non-adjacent rate of £1,690 by abolishing the fees adjacent provision; if so, whether mature students can benefit from such a change in the 1999-2000 academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21141/99]

Under the terms of the student support schemes, maintenance grants are payable to eligible students at either the adjacent or the non-adjacent rate. Except in the case of mature students, the adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable where the grant-holder's normal residence is 15 miles or less from the college being attended. 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 the college and who could reasonably be expected to travel to college each day having regard to the journey and available transport, were only entitled to the adjacent rate of maintenance grant. The schemes of third level student support, since 1995, provide that the non-adjacent rate would be payable in all circumstances where the student resides more than 15 miles from the college. Any proposal to align the rates of payable at the non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant would have significant cost implications and would have to have regard to overall resource constraints and other competing demands in the education sector.

I have previously indicated my intention is to first seek to deal with the more significant anomalies or disincentives in the grants scheme before dealing with the more general issues of grant levels. In this regard, I have announced that, with effect from the coming academic year, all eligible mature students will qualify for the higher non-adjacent rate of grant. I was particularly concerned about mature students and independent mature students in particular in regard to the rate of grant payable. With effect from the current academic year all eligible mature students will qualify for the higher non-adjacent rate of grant. This improvement is estimated to cost £2.4 million over the next two years.
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