Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 31 May 2001

Vol. 537 No. 4

Written Answers. - Maintenance Grants.

Noel Ahern

Ceist:

182 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Science if income guidelines for third level maintenance grants for the 2002 college year are yet available; if details can be given; the percentage increase which is being awarded; when the task force committee set up in autumn 2000 will report; the way in which the special fund set up to assist disadvantaged students for 2000-01 college year was disbursed; the persons who qualified; and the amounts awarded; and when a substantial increase in maintenance grant income categories will be made. [16478/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

The reckonable income limits, for the purpose of the award of a maintenance grant in respect of the 2001-02 academic year are not as yet available.

The practice of recent years has been to increase the reckonable income limits at least in line with movements in the average industrial wage and to increase third level maintenance grants at least in line with inflation.

I announced late last year 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, which is at present in progress, is wide ranging and covers many topics. These 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.

Some of these topics are, of their nature, complex and require detailed research. For example, costings of the effect of changes in the income limits below which applicants become eligible for a grant have been commissioned and carried out for the special review. Notwithstanding this, however, I expect that the review will be completed in the near future.

Issues relating to the implementation of the team's recommendations will be addressed when its report has been completed.

There is provision within the national development plan for a third level access fund totalling £95 million over the period 2000 to 2006, aimed at tackling under-representation by students from disadvantaged backgrounds; mature students and students with disabilities in third level education. The objective of this measure is to facilitate and improve access to the labour market for the beneficiaries while improving their long-term employability.

Last September, I established the action group on access to third level education to advise me on the development of a co-ordinated framework to promote access by students from the three target groups. I have received the report of the group and I am at present considering its recommendations. The action group's report contains recommendations on the eligibility criteria governing the category of students who should qualify for the special rate of grant, which I announced last September, and on the appropriate rates to be paid. My Department is finalising the administrative arrangements necessary to ensure that the special rates of grant will be made available as soon as possible.

The special rates of maintenance grant will be applied retrospectively to qualifying grant holders with effect from the 2000-01 academic year.