Vol. 547 No. 2
5 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to improve and increase the higher education maintenance grant to a realistic figure; his further plans to make special provision in order that disadvantaged students may be given access to third level colleges on a par with other students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2835/02]
My approach to the value of maintenance grants has been to increase the level of grants annually at least in line with inflation. Last June, in line with this policy, I approved increases of 6% in the rates of maintenance grant. The reference value for inflation is the annual percentage increase in the consumer price index to mid-February. The increase of 6% in grant rates for 2001-02 was higher than the reference value of 5.3%.
Similarly, the practice in recent years has been to increase the reckonable income limits in line with movements in the average industrial wage in the previous year. I approved an increase of 6.5% in the reckonable income limits for the 2001-02 academic year. This exceeded the increase in the average industrial wage for the period March 1999 to March 2000, which was 5.9%. I also increased by 6.5% the allowance by which the income limits may be increased in respect of other family members pursuing a course of study.
On my initiative a special project team is carrying 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 includes 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 measures.
Some of these topics are complex by nature and require detailed research.
It is a long time since they were researched according to the Minister's figures.
As part of the review, the Economic and Social Research Institute was commissioned to undertake research on the effect of changes in the income thresholds and on related matters. The report's findings have informed the work of the project team and drafting of the team's report is now being finalised. Issues relating to the implementation of the team's recommendations will be addressed when its report has been completed.
I have already introduced special rates of maintenance grant payable to disadvantaged grant holders with effect from the 2000-01 academic year. The rates are €3,809 for students residing more than 15 miles from the college attended and €1,535 for students residing less than 15 miles from the college attended. These increased rates of grant will be a powerful incentive to eligible students to enter third level and to complete their studies in the knowledge that additional financial assistance will be available to them.
Of all the Minister's failures in the time he is in office, this is his monumental failure in so far that he has failed to recognise the reality—
The Deputy should ask a question.
Does the Minister not realise that the cost of rent in the past four years has increased by 100% whereas his increase in the maintenance grant is just 10%? Is he aware of the difficulties students face? Regarding income limits, any two parents working in jobs such as those in a food outlet, for example, would exceed the income guidelines for a third level grant for their child. Is the Minister aware that one in ten students who receive an offer turn it down because they fear the financial cost of going to college?
Where is the fairness in the Minister's plan for third level maintenance grants? There is no indication that he is in touch with the reality of the difficulties students face where accommodation is concerned. He is to blame for the drop-out rate throughout the third level sector, be it at universities, institutes of technology or otherwise. The drop-out rate at third level is increasing rapidly and the Minister is to blame for that because of the inadequacy of grants. I want him to explain himself fully to students who have suffered as a consequence and whose lives have been turned upside down because of his failure to obtain from his colleague in the Department of Finance adequate—
Deputy Burke should resume his seat.
We had a review body examine the access issue. It took a long time to do so and it did it objectively. It made a number of recommendations, the first and most important of which was that people on lower incomes or at a disadvantage should receive higher rates of maintenance grant. That is how it proposed the access issue should be tackled.
What does the higher rate mean in the Minister's terms?
This was an objective and independent body.
Deputy Burke took almost four minutes to ask his question. He should give the Minister the time remaining to answer.
The broadly representative review body spent a great deal of time studying this issue and examining the position. It made recommendations, the first and most important of which was the increase in grants. I sanctioned that increase and did so retrospectively for the year in which I introduced it.
As it transpired, we expected about 10,000 to fall within the income limits, but the figure was just more than 7,000.
The Minister should not be surprised given that the limits were so low.
This was an independent group.
A selected independent group.
It was broadly representative. The colleges were represented. When the Deputies do not like the answer, they just attack the person. This is a ridiculous way of carrying on.
The Minister should tell us the income limits.
This is a priority question. Only Deputy Burke is entitled to intervene.
I have greatly increased the access funds administered through local partnership bodies and colleges. They have been a great success and are working very well. They assist many people who would not otherwise have made it through college.
The other group is studying income limits and I hope to have its report soon.
The Minister will not tell us what the income limits are because he is ashamed of them.
More than 90% of students sitting their leaving certificate last year applied to go on to third level. No country in the world can match that.
May I ask a further supplementary question?
No, there cannot be any more supplementary questions because we have already gone over time on this question. I appeal to Deputies when asking supplementary questions to ask a question and not make statements. That will give the Minister the time to reply.
I appeal to the Minister to answer questions.
