Michael Ring
Question:200 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway was refused the top up maintenance grant as their parents' income is only from social welfare. [9838/03]
Written Answers - Higher Education Grants.
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.
In order to qualify for the special rate of maintenance grant a candidate must meet a number of conditions, one of which is that s/he 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: (a) the higher education grants scheme, (b) the vocational education committees' scholarship scheme, (c) the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees and (d) maintenance grants scheme for students attending post leaving certificate (PLC) courses.
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.
If an individual applicant considers that s/he has been unjustly refused the special rate of maintenance grant, s/he 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/her case, a letter outlining the position may be sent to my Department. The student referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal to the student support unit of my Department. The decision of the local authority to refuse the additional grant was upheld, as the reckonable income exceeded the income threshold specified in the scheme.
It is not open to me or to my Department to depart from the terms of the schemes in individual cases.