Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 3

Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

200 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will outline in respect of the years 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000, the number of third level students receiving a maintenance grant; the cost of the maintenance grants scheme; and the criteria used in each year for eligibility for the scheme. [22547/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

The Department of Education and Science funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students:

–the higher education grants scheme;

–the Vocational Education Committees' – VECs – scholarship scheme;

–the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees, formerly the European social fund-aided third level courses maintenance grant scheme for trainees;

–the European social fund-aided maintenance grants scheme for students attending post leaving certificate courses.

The number of grantholders for each of the academic years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000, and expenditure on each of the grant schemes for the financial years 1997, 1998 and 1999, are set out below in tabular form. Figures for the number of grantholders in the current academic year, 2000-01, are not available at present and the full cost of the grant schemes for the financial year 2000 will not be available until early in 2001.

The schemes of student support, which issue to the local authorities and vocational education committees each year, have, generally speaking, similar provisions and criteria regarding grant eligibility. Students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to age, residence, means and nationality. I am arranging for copies of the higher education grants scheme for each of the four years, 1997 to 2000, to issue to the Deputy.

NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN RECEIPT OF

MAINTENANCE GRANT

Academic Year	Grant Scheme	No. of Grantholders
1996/97	Higher Education Grants	26,440
	V.E.C. Scholarships	4,375
	Grants Scheme for Trainees	16,576
1997/98	Higher Education Grants	26,369
	V.E.C. Scholarships	4,762
	Grants Scheme for Trainees	15,997
1998/99	Higher Education Grants	25,670
	V.E.C. Scholarships	5,347
	Grants Scheme for Trainees	15,521
	*Post Leaving Certificate	6,600 (Estimated)
1999/2000	Higher Education Grants	25,000 (Estimated)
	V.E.C. Scholarships	5,694
	Grants Scheme for Trainees	14,916
	Post Leaving Certificate	6,600 (Estimated)

*The post Leaving Certificate scheme was introduced with effect from the 1998/99 academic year.

COST OF MAINTENANCE GRANT SCHEMES

Financial Year

Grant Scheme

Expenditure£'000

1997

Higher Education Grants

£129,698 **

V.E.C. Scholarships

£11,361

Grants Scheme for Trainees

£19,140

1998

Higher Education Grants

£40,399

V.E.C. Scholarships

£9,639

Grants Scheme for Trainees

£21,365

Post Leaving Certificate

£5,500

1999

Higher Education Grants

£47,655

V.E.C. Scholarships

£10,705

Grants Scheme for Trainees

£19,518

Post Leaving Certificate

£4,688

**Up to 1997, recoupment was made by the Department to local authorities one year in arrears. A supplementary estimate was provided in 1997 to change to recoupment on a current year basis.