Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 17 Dec 2002

Vol. 559 No. 5

Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.

David Stanton

Question:

243 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has investigated the possibility of making grant application forms for third level maintenance grants available at an earlier date in view of the fact that the tax year dates have been changed; if it will be possible to inform students of their eligibility long before the production of the leaving certificate results; his views on whether such a change will be of great assistance to students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26824/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

My Department is at present conducting a review of student support provisions aimed at ensuring that the benefits of the substantial investment being made are maximised.

This review will cover a range of topics relating to the schemes of student support including the level of maintenance grants, eligibility and income limits with respect to the grants, and the free fees initiative.

It is anticipated that the review will be completed in time to give sufficient notice of decisions which will impact on students intending to enter third level education in the 2003-04 academic year.

Decisions arising from this review may have implications for the terms and conditions of the third level grants schemes. However, my Department will endeavour to ensure that the 2003 maintenance grants schemes are finalised and application forms issued as early as feasible prior to the start of the 2003-04 academic year.

David Stanton

Question:

244 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science the total number of students who applied for third level maintenance grants in 2000, 2001 and 2002; the total cost involved in each year; the number of grants paid out each month of those applied for in 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26825/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

There are no statistics available to my Department on the numbers who applied for grant assistance under the three third level maintenance grants schemes. The statistics available relate only to successful applicants who were awarded grant assistance.

Details on the number of grantholders and expenditure under the three third level schemes for the years 2000 and 2001 are set out in tabular form for the Deputy's information. Corresponding data in relation to 2002 will not be available to my Department until the end of the 2002-03 academic year.

Under the terms of the higher education grants scheme and the vocational education committees scholarship scheme grant payments must be made in three equal instalments, once per term. These payments are made as early as possible in each of the three academic terms. A monthly break-down of awards is not available.

Under the terms of the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees the grant is paid to the students by the individual institutes of technology in monthly instalments in arrears and then recouped from my Department. Monthly statistics are not available in my Department.

	Year	Higher Education Grant Scheme	VEC Scholarship Scheme	Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees	Total
No. Grantholders Academic Year	2000-01	24,200	5,590	14,160	43,950
Financial Year Cost (millions)	2000	€63.577m	€12.987m	€28.292m	€104.856m
No. Grantholers Academic Year	2001-02	23,339	5,782	13,872	42,993
Financial Year Cost (millions)	2001	€60.179m	€13.532m	€26.343m	€100.054m