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Third Level Fees.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2005

Tuesday, 8 February 2005

Questions (446)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

499 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if an examination will be carried out on the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9, as an example of the total inadequacy of income support for mature students with low income; her plans to improve such supports; her views on whether a total of €120 per month in income support is completely inadequate for a mature student to live on; if she will address the continuing inequity that mature students with little income but who are not resident in partnership areas experience; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4005/05]

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Written answers

My Department operates four student maintenance grant schemes which comprise the post leaving certificate scheme and three schemes which relate to third level courses. The schemes are administered by the VECs and local authorities on behalf of my Department. Under the prescribed conditions of all four schemes maintenance grants are payable at either the adjacent or the non-adjacent rate.

The adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable where the grantholder's normal residence is 15 miles or less from the college or PLC centre which he-she is attending. The non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable in all other cases, with the exception of all eligible mature students who, with effect from the 1999-2000 academic year, qualify for the higher non-adjacent rate of grant.

My Department understands from City of Dublin VEC, the administering body in this case, that the student in question does not meet the definition of a mature student, that is, was not at least 23 years of age on 1 January of the year of entry or re-entry to an approved course. The Department also understands that the student resides within 15 miles of the PLC centre which she is attending. The student has correctly been awarded the full adjacent rate of ordinary maintenance grant.

The Deputy will be also be aware of the special rate of maintenance which is targeted at disadvantaged students.

Eligibility is determined by reference to an income threshold and receipt of a long-term social welfare payment as set out below: applicants must qualify for the ordinary maintenance grant for the relevant academic year; total reckonable income limit in the relevant tax year must not exceed a specified lower income threshold, which is net of standard exclusion, as set out in the maintenance grant schemes and, where applicable, net of the social welfare child dependants allowance payments; as at 31 December of the relevant tax year the source of income must include one of the specified eligible social welfare payments. It is understood that the candidate in question does not meet these conditions.

The Deputy will be aware that my Department has in place, through the National Office for Equity of Access to Third Level Education, a third level access fund which includes the following initiatives: the fund for students with disabilities, the student assistance fund and the millennium partnership fund. The fund for students with disabilities is available to both third level students and students attending approved PLC courses.

The student assistance fund, SAF, is available to students attending approved third level institutions. The objective of the SAF is to assist students in a sensitive and compassionate manner who might otherwise, because of financial reasons, suffer severe hardship or be unable to continue their third level studies.

The final initiative under the third level access fund is the millennium partnership fund for disadvantage. The objective of this fund is to support students from disadvantaged areas with regard to retention and participation in further or higher education courses. Partnership companies and community groups manage the fund locally. Area Development Management, ADM, manages the fund for the Department of Education and Science. Under the fund, eligible actions may include the following but will be dependent on the individual partnership or community group: financial supports to meet student participation costs; provision of information, for example, guidance and mentoring; and study supports including tuition, study skills.

A National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education has been established within the Higher Education Authority and this will promote improved participation by students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, students with a disability and mature ‘second chance' students. A number of senior staff have been recruited, including head of office, and the office is now operational, taking over the administration of a number of access measures from my Department — the student assistance fund, the fund for students with disabilities and the millennium partnership fund for disadvantage as well as the access element of the Higher Education Authority's targeted initiatives.

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