Written Answers. - Student Support Schemes.
Charlie O'Connor
Question:
186
Mr. O'Connor
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
if his attention has been drawn to the concern regarding the rising cost of college education; the position in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[28189/03]
I am fully aware of the cost involved in, and the benefits accruing from, participation in further and higher education.
My Department operates three means-tested maintenance grant schemes for students attending third level education and one scheme for students attending post-leaving certificate courses as follows: 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. The cost of the four schemes in 2002 was €132 million. The Department also meets the tuition fees of eligible students who are attending approved full-time undergraduate courses. The cost of this provision in 2002 was €240 million.
The Deputy will be aware that, on 25 May 2003, I announced a new package of student support measures costing €42 million in a full year to further address and ameliorate the problems facing students from low to moderate income households in accessing third-level education.
This package combines substantial improvements in the level and coverage of the maintenance grant for those on low to moderate incomes, with increases in the level of top-up grant for those who are most disadvantaged. The main provisions arising from the €42 million package are: an increase of 15% in the maintenance grant, to give a maximum grant of €2,885, benefiting, it is estimated, approximately 56,000 students; significant increases, above the normal CPI increases, in the reckonable income limits and in the allowance by which the income limits may be increased for each dependant where two or more children are in further or higher education and the introduction of a revised income limit scheme, to include the following threshold levels – a new part maintenance, 75%, and full fees and an upgrading of the full fees only income limit to become a part maintenance, 25%, and full fees entitlement.
The top income limit has been increased 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 student service charge. Significant improvements have been effected in the special rates of maintenance grant, or top-up grants, for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The higher, non-adjacent rate has been increased to €4,495, an amount equal to the maximum personal rate of social welfare unemployment assistance. The adjacent rate has been increased to €1,800. These increases represent top-ups on the ordinary grant of €1,610 and €645 respectively. The annual income threshold for the special rates of grant has been increased by 10.8% to €13,760.
In addition to the ordinary maintenance grant schemes and the free fees initiative, spending on third level access measures funded directly by my Department has, since 1997, increased from €500,000 to €24 million in 2002. The provision for 2003 is €26 million. By any standards this represents a quantum leap in the commitment of resources.
The access measures funded include: special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students, commonly referred to as top-up grants. Over 8,000 students received the top-up grant in 2002-03; the millennium partnership fund for disadvantage which provides assistance to partnership companies and community groups to develop their support schemes for students from disadvantaged families. The provision for the fund in 2003 is €2 million and 59 area partnerships and community groups are receiving allocations and the student assistance fund which provides financial support to disadvantaged students who require additional support to enable them to fully benefit from their third level studies. Provision for this fund was €8.94 million in respect of the 2002-03 academic year.
