Michael Ring
Ceist:1262 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of people who gained from the special rates of maintenance grants top-up scheme; and the amount received for each county. [2090/02]
Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.
Michael Ring
Ceist:1265 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of people who have gained from the top-up scheme of maintenance grants introduced in 2002; the number of people who have applied for this grant; the number of people who qualified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2093/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1262 and 1265 together.
The report of the action group on access to third level education makes detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students, usually referred to as "top-up" grants.
The action group considered that the target group of "those most in need" could best be defined in terms of the child dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments, in respect of whom continued child dependant allowance is being paid, by virtue of their being in full-time education – that is, child dependants in the age group 18 to 22. The action group recommended that the special rates of maintenance grant should also be available to mature students, that is students aged 23 and over.
My Department forwarded full details of this initiative to the local authorities and vocational education committees, in July 2001, with a request that payment be made with effect from the 2000-01 academic year.
Finalised data in relation to both the 2000-01 and 2001-02 academic years on the numbers benefiting under the initiative, and the total expenditure involved, are not available within my Department, as a number of local authorities and vocational education committees have yet to complete the assessment process in respect of students applying for the special rates of maintenance grant.
I will arrange for my Department to forward the finalised data to the Deputy as soon as possible.
It has not been the practice for my Department to request the local authorities and vocational education committees to furnish statistical data on the total numbers applying for maintenance grants.
Question No. 1263 answered with Question No. 1255.