Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 5

Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.

Michael Noonan

Question:

515 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Education and Science if a person (details supplied) in County Limerick, who is in receipt of a lone parent's allowance, is eligible for any allowance towards the cost of her books arising from her attendance at a third level college; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23210/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

While My Department has no specific scheme for the purpose of paying an allowance to meet expenditure incurred in the purchase of third level textbooks, it does operate a number of student support schemes, which provide for means-tested higher education maintenance grants in order to assist students to attend full-time third level education.

Under the terms of the support schemes, the reckonable income of a candidate, other than an independent mature candidate, for the purposes of the means test is his-her gross income from all sources, and the gross income of his-her parents or guardians where applicable, with certain specified social welfare and health board payments being exempt, including the means-tested one parent family payments administered by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.

As the person to whom the Deputy refers is under 23 years of age she cannot be assessed as a mature student and, therefore, parental income must be taken into account. If she has not already done so, she should contact the relevant local authority in order that her eligibility for grant assistance may be assessed.

In addition to the maintenance grant schemes, support is also available to students through my Department's student assistance-access fund. The objectives of the fund are to assist students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise, due to their financial circumstances, be unable to continue their third level studies. The fund is administered by the third level institutions and provides direct financial support for disadvantaged students to assist them to remain on in college to complete their studies. I have increased the provision for this fund from £1.296 million in 1999 to £1.8 million in 2000.

Accordingly, the Deputy may wish to advise the person in question to make application to the student welfare officer, or other officer responsible for administering the fund, in the college she is attending, for assistance from the fund.