Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 7 Oct 1998

Vol. 494 No. 5

Written Answers. - Student Support Schemes.

John McGuinness

Ceist:

150 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department will exmaine the criteria for European Social Fund grants under the vocational educational committees with a view to introducing some flexibility in relation to income limits and hardship cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18927/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

The ESF-aided maintenance grants scheme, together with the higher education grants scheme, and the vocational education committee scholarship scheme comprise the third level maintenance grants schemes.

The value of the maintenance grant under these schemes was increased by 1.7 per cent for the 1989-99 academic year. This increase is in line with the practice in recent years to incresse third level maintenance grants in line with inflation as measured by the change in the consumer price index for the period mid February to mid February each year. The full maintenance grant for the current academic year has been incresed to £1,652 at the non-adjacent rate and £660 at the adjacent rate.

The reckonable income limits for the 1998-99 academic year were increased by 3.2 per cent, based on the increase in the average industrial wage for the period March 1996 to March 1997. This is consistent with the approach adopted in recent years to determine the increase in income limits. I also applied this increase to the allowance by which the income limits may be increased in respect of other family members pursuing a course of study. The definition of eligible courses in this regard has also been extended.

I would point out to the Deputy that, under the change of circumstances provisions in the schemes, a candidate's eligibility can be reassessed in the event of a change in the candidate's reckonable income, which is likely to be permanant.

I am committed to ongoing improvements in the third level student support schemes, including increasing the value of maintenance grants and increasing the income limits as resources permit. My priority in relation to the area of student support has been to honour the commitment given in the Programme for Government, An Action Programme for the Millennium to introduce equitable support for students attending PLC courses. I have honoured the commitment by way of introducing a maintenace grants scheme for students attending post leaving certificate courses. The grants payable under this scheme will be at the same level as the third-level maintenance grants. As the schemes are of general application it is not possible to make exceptions on behalf of individual candidates.