Vol. 537 No. 1
200 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science when the special project team undertaking a comprehensive review of every aspect of maintenance grants and other student supports to ensure their relevance to the needs of present day third level students will report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15365/01]
The remit of the special project team, to which the Deputy refers, is to carry out a comprehensive review of every aspect of the maintenance grants and other student supports to ensure their relevance to the needs of present day third level students.
This review, which is in progress, is a wide-ranging review covering many topics. These include the level of grants, the methods by which they are paid, eligibility and income limits, accommodation needs, student support services, the most suitable paying agency, the provision of an appeals system, student loans and taxation.
Some of these topics are, of their nature, complex and require detailed research. For example, costings of the effect of changes in the income limits, below which applicants become eligible for a grant, have been commissioned and carried out for the special review. Notwithstanding this, I expect the review to be completed in the near future.
Issues relating to the implementation of the team's recommendations will be addressed when its report has been completed.
