Vol. 513 No. 6
106 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has assessed the size of the gap between the higher education maintenance grant and the cost of supporting a student in college; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3161/00]
My Department has not carried out research into the cost of maintaining a student at a third level college. The statutory framework for the maintenance grants scheme, as set out in the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992, provides for higher education grants to assist students to attend full-time third level education. For the 1999-2000 academic year, the rates of the maintenance grants payable are set at £1,690 at the non-adjacent rate and £676 at the adjacent rate.
In relation to the value of the grant, I intend to follow the practice of recent years and increase third level maintenance grants in line with inflation as measured by the change in the consumer price index for the period mid-February to mid-February each year. I also intend to continue the practice in recent years of increasing the reckonable income limits in line with movements in the average industrial wage.
This approach will ensure that the real value of maintenance grants is maintained. The question of providing further additional increases to the value of maintenance grants can only be considered having regard to overall resource constraints and other competing demands in the education sector. In this regard, I would point out to the Deputy that over 40% of third level students qualify for maintenance grants.
This Government has introduced a maintenance grants scheme for students attending post-leaving certificate courses with effect from the 1998-99 academic year. Furthermore, the position of mature students in general, and, independent mature students in particular, has also been addressed under 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 she or he is attending. In the case of independent mature students, their normal residence is taken as their address while in attendance at college. Accordingly, a large proportion of independent mature students only qualified for the lower adjacent rate of grant. With effect from the current academic year, all eligible mature students will qualify for the higher non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant.
The need to target resources at those most in need is well recognised and underpins this Government's approach to tackling disadvantage. There is provision within the national development plan for a third level access fund totalling £95 million over the period of the plan. This fund will provide for additional financial support for disadvantaged students on top of the existing maintenance grants schemes. My officials are developing proposals for my consideration in relation to these financial supports and I will be announcing the details of the new arrangements in due course.
