asked the Minister for Education the funds paid by way of higher education grants in 1983; the estimates for grants in 1984; the proportion of the grants paid in 1983 that went to dependent applicants whose parents' or guardians' means were derived from (a) ownership of land; (b) farming lands; (c) paid employment and (d) social welfare benefits.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.
750.
The Higher Education Grants Scheme is administered by the county councils and county borough corporations. Under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Act, 1968, each local authority contributes annually, towards the cost of higher education grants paid by it, a sum equal to its contribution towards university and post-primary scholarships in the year ended 31 March 1968. The total of these fixed contributions for the 31 local authorities is £353,682. The local authorities' expenditure over and above the amount of their fixed contribution is recouped by the Department on receipt of an appropriate claim. The Department's expenditure in 1983 was £8,557,460 and its estimated expenditure in 1984 is £11,045,000.
The scheme is administered by the local authorities and detailed information concerning the sources of the parental (or guardian) income of grant-holders is not supplied to the Department in connection with the request for recoupment of the relevant expenditure by the authorities concerned.