Vol. 441 No. 5
72 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to students under 23 years of age attending third level colleges who, though totally independent of their parents, cannot qualify for grants; the plans, if any, she has to provide help for these students; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Prior to 1992 eligibility for higher education grants for all applicants, irrespective of their age, was assessed on the basis of the candidate's own income and that of their parents or guardians. The special provisions for mature students, introduced in 1992, represented a major improvement in allowing applicant-students who were at least 23 when entering approved third level courses and who were deemed to be independent of their parents to be assessed on their own means and that of their spouse, if applicable. The age of 23 is in line with the practice in third level institutions for designating mature students. I have no plans at present to alter the income assessment arrangements for candidates who are not mature students.
I have already announced the establishment of a hardship fund which will be administered with third level institutions for the benefit of individual students already attending college where assistance on a flexible basis is required because of exceptional unforeseen circumstances and where assistance under the general student support schemes is not available or is inadequate. Information on the criteria relating to the operation of this fund and the organisational arrangements for its disbursement will be disseminated to students and their representatives with the assistance of the third level institutions at the beginning of the next academic year.
