Written Answers. - Third Level Grants.
Seán Ryan
Question:
124
Mr. S. Ryan
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
his views on the need to increase the Higher Education Authority grant for third level and post graduate students; and the plans he has to recommend an increase for the next academic year.
[18254/01]
My Department operates a number of schemes, administered by the local authorities and vocational education committees, which provide for means-tested higher education grants to assist students to attend full-time third level education.
The practice of recent years has been to increase third level maintenance grants at least in line with inflation and the reckonable income limits at least in line with movements in the average industrial wage. My Department expects to issue the 2001 higher education grants scheme shortly, with details of revised rates of maintenance grants and revised income limits.
Also, I announced late last year that I was setting up a special project team 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 wide-ranging and covers 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. However, I expect that the review will 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.
With regard to accommodation costs, in recognition of the difficulties being encountered by students and following consultation with third level colleges, the Government has introduced special tax incentives to encourage the provision of student-rented residential accommodation in the 1999 Finance Act.
The availability of tax incentives in the past resulted in the provision of a significant number of student residences. As the tax relief will be available for expenditure up to 31 March 2003, the opportunity exists to create significant additional accommodation for third level students. These tax incentives are intended to increase the availability of dedicated student housing and as such represent a targeted response to the underlying issue of an accommodation shortage.
