Seán Haughey
Ceist:192 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to bring maintenance grant payments into line with comparable social welfare payments and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9258/00]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
Seán Haughey
Ceist:193 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to increase maintenance grants by the same percentage each year as that set out in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness concerning wage increases and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9259/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together.
The statutory framework for the maintenance grants scheme, as set out in the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992, provides for higher education grants in order to assist students to attend full-time third level education. For the current academic year, the rates of the maintenance grants payable are set at £1,690 at the non-adjacent rate and £676 at the adjacent rate.
With some 40% of third level students qualifying for maintenance grants, any proposal that student grants be brought into line with social welfare payments for the unemployed would give rise to considerable cost, estimated by my Department to be in excess of £50 million per annum.
The reckonable income limit for a full maintenance grant under the student support schemes for the 1999-2000 academic year is £19,200. Candidates who do not qualify for a full maintenance grant may qualify for a part maintenance grant, 50%, in respect of which the income limit is £20,400. Where two or more children or the candidate's parent are attending full-time approved third level courses the above income limits may be increased by £2,160 where there are two such children, by £4,320 for three such children and so on, by increments of £2,160.
I intend to follow the practice of recent years and increase third level maintenance grants in line with inflation and I intend to continue the practice of increasing the reckonable income limits in line with movements in the average industrial wage. This approach will ensure that the real value of maintenance grants is maintained. The question of providing further additional increases in the value of maintenance grants can only be considered having regard to overall resource con straints and other competing demands in the education sector.
The need to target resources at those most in need is well recognised and underpins this Government's approach to tackling disadvantage. There is provision within the national development plan for a third level access fund totalling £95 million over the period of the plan. This fund will provide for additional financial support for disadvantaged students on top of the existing maintenance grants schemes. I am developing proposals in relation to these financial supports and I will be announcing the details of the new arrangements in due course.