Seán Haughey
Question:194 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to introduce a central grants authority for the payment of higher education grants and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9260/00]
Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.
My officials have been engaged with officials of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs in relation to options for the future administration of the various student support schemes. Furthermore, there is provision within the national development plan for a third level access fund, which will, inter alia, provide for additional financial support for disadvantaged students on top of the existing maintenance grants schemes. I am developing proposals in relation to these financial supports and I will be considering the administrative arrangements in this context.
As the Deputy will appreciate, there are major implications, for example, for the local authorities and vocational education committees, in any proposals to change the administration of the schemes. It is my intention, therefore, that there will be full consultation with all interested parties before any decisions are taken in relation to any future arrangements.
Seán Haughey
Question:195 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to introduce a system of independent assessment for higher education grants so that all circumstances of the student can be taken into account and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9261/00]
The higher education grant schemes operate under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Under the Acts, a mature student is defined as a person of not less than 23 years of age on 1 January in the year of entry to an approved third level institution.
Under the terms of the higher education grants scheme, mature students are categorised as either mature students dependent on parents or independent mature students. A mature student dependent on parents is defined to mean a mature candidate who was ordinarily resident with her-his parents from the October preceding their entry to an approved course. Maintenance grants may be paid 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.
An independent mature student is defined to mean a mature candidate who was not ordinarily resident with his-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 than 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 circumstances in any case where the student is not a mature student.
The other student support schemes have similar provisions in relation to the means assessment of students.
It is recognised that these provisions can give rise to difficulties in individual cases and my Department is examining the issues involved.
Seán Haughey
Question:196 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, to introduce a sliding scale for the cut-off levels of the maintenance grant and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9262/00]
For the current academic year, the rates of maintenance grants payable under the student support schemes are £1,690 at the non-adjacent rate and £676 at the adjacent rate. Except in the case of mature students, the adjacent rate of maintenance is payable in the case of a grantholder whose normal residence is 15 miles or less from the college which she or he is attending. The non-adjacent rate 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.
Statistical information on the higher education grants scheme indicates that some 75% of grantholders qualify for the non-adjacent rate of grant. Any proposal to introduce a sliding scale of grant payable to those living within 15 miles of the college being attended would have significant cost and administrative implications.
The reckonable income limit for a full maintenance grant under the student support schemes for the 1999-2000 academic year is £19,200. Candidates who do not qualify for a full maintenance grant may qualify for a part maintenance grant, 50%, in respect of which the income limit is £20,400. Where two or more children, or the candidate's parent, are attending full-time approved third level courses the above income limits may be increased by £2,160 where there are two such children, by £4,320 for three such children and so on, by increments of £2,160. The following table sets out full details of reckonable income limits for 1999.
|
Number of Dependent Children |
Full Maintenance and Full Fees |
Part Maintenance (50%) and Full Fees |
Full Fees Only |
Part Fee (50%) only |
|
Less than 4 |
£19,200 |
£20,400 |
£23,000 |
£24,300 |
|
4 – 7 |
£21,100 |
£22,300 |
£24,900 |
£26,200 |
|
8 or more |
£23,000 |
£24,300 |
£26,800 |
£28,100 |
I intend to follow the practice in recent years and increase the reckonable income limits in line with movements in the average industrial wage. I would point out to the Deputy that over 40% of third level students qualify for maintenance grants.
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.