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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 2

Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.

John Perry

Ceist:

1118 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will sanction a special rate of student maintenance top-up grant with retrospective payment to a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21950/01]

Eligibility criteria for the special rates of maintenance grant are based on recommendations made by the action group. In order to target those most in need, eligibility is confined to students where family income comes from long-term social welfare payments or from specific schemes such as the community employment scheme.

The student to whom the Deputy refers is not eligible for the special rates of maintenance grant as she was not in receipt of an eligible payment from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs nor was she on one of the programmes designated for the purpose of determining eligibility for the special rates, prior to commencement of her third level studies. The eligibility requirements for the special rates of maintenance grant will, in future, be reviewed on an ongoing basis with a view to extending eligibility. A first step will be to assess the coverage and effectiveness of the implementation of the special rates in this first year of operation.

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