Cecilia Keaveney
Question:380 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education and Science when the vocational education committees will have the schemes for the maintenance grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15844/03]
Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.
The annual review of the terms and conditions of the maintenance grant schemes is being finalised within my Department at present. The schemes will issue to the awarding bodies, the vocational education committees and the local authorities, following completion of the review.
The Deputy will be aware that on 25 May I announced a package of measures costing €42 million in a full year to address the problem of disadvantage in third level education. The package comprises: an increase in the maintenance grant levels by 15%; a significant increase in the income thresholds for purposes of determining grant eligibility and an expansion in the number of thresholds, benefiting a greater number of students; an increase in the top income threshold from €36,897 to €40,000, ensuring that a significantly higher number of students from households with moderate incomes will not have to pay the €670 student service charge; an increase in the amount of the higher rate of the top-up grant to the level of the maximum personal rate of unemployment assistance. Approximately 7,500 grantholders will benefit under this measure.
The grant application form and accompanying notes booklet for applicants form part of the annual student maintenance grant schemes. Changes in respect of the 2003 form and notes have been finalised by my Department. A copy of the 2003 application form and notes booklet was issued, both by hard copy and electronically, to all 33 vocational education committees and 33 local authorities at the end of May. The application forms are now in process of being printed and will be distributed to the awarding bodies when printing is completed.