Vol. 530 No. 3
268 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason for his Department's decision not to give full grant to a person (details supplied) in County Galway on the grounds of her age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3560/01]
Under the student support schemes, maintenance grants are payable at either the adjacent or the non-adjacent rate. The adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable where the grantholder's normal residence is 15 miles or less from the college which he or she is attending. The non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable in all other cases, with the exception of all eligible mature students who, with effect from the 1999-2000 academic year, qualify for the higher non-adjacent rate of grant.
My Department understands from Galway County Council, the body entrusted with the administration of the higher education grants scheme in this case, that the normal residence of the student in question, who is not a mature student, is within 15 miles of the college which she is attending, and, accordingly, the student has been awarded a maintenance grant at the adjacent rate.
