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Access to Higher Education

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2012

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Questions (143)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

143. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if any analysis or assessment has been carried out by his Department which projects the likely impact on access to higher education by persons in lower socio-economic groups as a result of recent cuts to maintenance grants and increases in registration fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51337/12]

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Written answers

The primary motivation for the Government in taking very difficult budgetary decisions is to retrieve our economic sovereignty and put the economy on a road to recovery. In closing the gap between revenue and spending, unpalatable savings measures are necessary and savings for student supports were inevitable as part of that. Given the growth in demand for participation in third level, the Government has endeavoured, to the greatest extent possible, to protect disadvantaged students.

This approach has enabled me to ensure that substantial allocations continue to be made to students from lower income backgrounds to achieve an under-graduate qualification to improve their job opportunities. Undergraduate students who qualify for a student grant have their student contribution paid on their behalf, and therefore the increases in this contribution does not impact on those students. Higher income thresholds exist for the payment of a fee grant towards the student contribution. Students from families with less than 4 children with a gross income of less than €51,380 can qualify for full the student contribution and where the gross income is greater than €51,380 but less than €55,920 they can for 50% of the student contribution. This ensure that students from the lower socio economic groups are not impacted by the increases in the student contribution.

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