Vol. 526 No. 3
87 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans he has to restructure the current system of third level maintenance grants; if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties being encountered by many students to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26526/00]
In the current financial year expen diture on student support, including free fees, is expected to be about £250 million. In view of the scale of expenditure involved and the representations being made by students and other groups, I announced on 11 November that I was setting up a special project team to carry out a comprehensive review of every aspect of the maintenance grants and other student supports to ensure their relevance to the needs of present day third level students. This review will include the level of grants, the methods by which they are paid, eligibility and income limits, accommodation needs, student support services, the most suitable paying agency, the provision of an appeals system, student loans and taxation measures. The project team is to report to me by the end of March 2001.
Some 40% of third level students qualify for maintenance grants. The need to target resources at those most in need is well recognised and underpins our approach to tackling disadvantage. In this regard, there is provision within the national development plan for a third level access fund totalling £95 million over the period of the plan, aimed at tackling under-representation by students from disadvantaged backgrounds, mature students and students with disabilities.
I also established an action group on access to third level education last September to advise on measures which would tackle under-representation by disadvantaged students. This action group will advise me on the development of a co-ordinated framework to promote participation at third level by such students. I have asked the group to provide a report to me within three months.
As an indication of the Government's support in promoting equity in access and as an initial step pending the findings of the action group, I announced the introduction of a special maintenance grant payable to disadvantaged grant holders, targeted at those most in need. The full rates of the special maintenance grant entail increases over the standard rates as follows: from £1,775 to £2,000 for students residing more than 15 miles from college and from £710 to £1,000 for students resident within 15 miles of college. Tentative indications are that up to 10,000 students may benefit from this measure.
Additional InformationAs regards the future administration of the schemes, officials of my Department have been engaged with officials from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs in relation to possible options. Terms of reference for a detailed review of the administration of the schemes are currently being finalised between the two Departments.
With specific regard to rent costs, in recognition of the difficulties being encountered by students and following consultation with third level colleges, the Government introduced special tax incentives to encourage the provision of student rented residential accommodation in the Finance Act, 1999. A survey by the Department of the Environment and Local Government in September 1999 to gauge the effect of the tax incentives indicated that 7,500 bed spaces were in various stages of planning.
The Minister is aware that students all over the country have begun to protest about this matter. This is not the traditional type of protest where students take action on one day. It is a serious matter and students are most concerned about the inadequacy of the maintenance grant which currently stands at £1,775 or £49 a week.
The cost of participation in third level education is approximately £5,000. The cost of private rented accommodation has increased by 94% since 1997-98, while the inflation index of the grant has increased by only 9%. This forces students to work long hours in part-time jobs to meet their financial requirements. This is bound to have an effect on the quality of degrees that students obtain as a consequence. How is it possible for a student who works up to 14 hours on Saturdays and Sundays to attend tutorials and lectures and to do proper reading and study? How can such students achieve the higher level degrees that are required and on which our international reputation is built?
The Cromien report makes specific recommendations in respect of maintenance and third level grants. Does the Minister intend to act on those recommendations? Will he explain what he means by a disadvantaged student? Does he mean disadvantaged geographically or disadvantaged in terms of background or economic circumstances? The Minister mentioned a figure of 10,000 students. How was that computed? Does he intend to speed up the process of providing on-campus accommodation for students? Is he happy with what is already provided in terms of the weekly payments that must be made to meet demands in that regard?
In relation to disadvantage, the estimate relates to the number of people involved in the scheme. These people came through the access officers and the existing system. It is an estimate of the number that would benefit from those increases.
Regarding the future administration of the schemes, officials of my Department have been engaged with officials from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs in relation to possible options. Terms of reference for a detailed review of the administration of the schemes are currently being finalised between the two Departments. Action on this recommendation is already under way.
With specific regard to rent costs, in recognition of the difficulties being encountered by students and following consultation with third level colleges, the Government introduced special tax incentives to encourage the provision of student rented residential accommodation in the Finance Act, 1999. A survey by the Department of the Environment and Local Government in September 1999 to gauge the effect of the tax incentives indicated that 7,500 bed spaces were in various stages of planning.
