Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.
Jim O'Keeffe
Question:
167
Mr. J. O'Keeffe
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
his views on whether it is entirely unfair that the special maintenance grant payable for third level students is not payable in a case (details supplied); and if he will amend the regulations in order to ensure that a person in this situation is covered.
[32160/01]
The report of the action group on access to third level education makes detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students, usually referred to as top-up grants.
The action group considered that the target group, those most in need, could best be defined in terms of the child dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments in respect of whom continued child dependant allowance is being paid by virtue of their being in full-time education, that is, child dependants in the age group 18 to 22. The action group recommended that the special rates of maintenance grant should also be available to mature students, that is, students aged 23 and over.
In order to qualify for the special rate of maintenance grant a candidate must meet a number of conditions, one of which is that he or she must already qualify for one of my Department's ordinary maintenance grants. My Department funds three means tested maintenance grant schemes for third level education students in respect of attendance on approved courses in approved third level institutions and one grant scheme in respect of post-leaving certificate courses. These are the higher education grants scheme, the vocational education committees' scholarship scheme, the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees and the maintenance grants scheme for students attending post-leaving certificate courses.
All four schemes have similar provisions relating, for example, to residency and means, which govern the award of a grant. Where a student is already in receipt of a grant under one of these schemes, he or she may apply to the relevant local authority or VEC for the special rate of grant. Decisions on applications are taken by these bodies, based on the conditions and terms issued by my Department. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except in exceptional cases where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular condition is desired.
It appears no such advice or instruction has, to date, been sought in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy. It is not open to me or my Department to depart from the terms of the maintenance grants schemes in individual cases. Until such time as an application has been decided on by the relevant local authority or VEC, all inquiries regarding an individual application should be directed to the body concerned rather than to my Department.
If an individual applicant considers that he or she has been unjustly refused the special rate of maintenance grant, he or she may appeal to the relevant local authority or VEC. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by the relevant local authority or VEC and remains of the view that the body has not interpreted the conditions correctly in his or her case, a letter outlining the position may be sent to my Department. Alternatively, as already indicated, the local authority or VEC may, in exceptional circumstances, seek clarification on issues from my Department.
The eligibility requirements for the special rates of maintenance grant will be reviewed on an ongoing basis with a view to extending eligibility. A first step will be to assess the coverage and effectiveness of the implementation of the special rates in this first year of operation.
Apart from the maintenance grants schemes and the free fees initiative under which my Department meets the cost of tuition fees for eligible undergraduate students in approved institutions, financial support is also available to students in approved third level institutions through the student assistance/access fund. The objectives of the fund, which is ESF aided, are to assist students in a sensitive and compassionate manner who otherwise, due to their financial circumstances, might be unable to continue their third level studies. The fund is administered on a discretionary and confidential basis by each third level institution and provides direct financial support to disadvantaged students to assist them to remain on in college. I increased significantly the provision for this fund from £1.296 million in 1999 to £1.964 million in 2000.
