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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Nov 2002

Vol. 556 No. 3

Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.

Mildred Fox

Ceist:

369 Ms Fox asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that people under the age of 23 who apply for a grant to local authorities for PLCs are required to submit details of their parents' income, even in cases where they no longer live at home, and have families of their own; if he will consider updating this system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20042/02]

My Department funds three means-tested maintenance grant schemes for third level education students in respect of attendance on approved courses in approved third level institutions and one maintenance grant scheme in respect of students attending approved post leaving certificate courses in approved PLC centres. They are: (a) the higher education grants scheme; (b) the vocational education committees' scholarship scheme; (c) the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees; and (d) the maintenance grant scheme for students attending post leaving certificate courses.

The higher education grant scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Under these Acts a mature student is defined as a person of not less than 23 years of age on 1 January in the year of entry to an approved third level institution. The Acts further provide,inter alia, for the making of grants to mature students whose means and those of their parents, where the mature students are dependent on their parents, do not exceed prescribed limits.
Mature students are categorised as either independent mature students or mature students dependent on parents. An independent mature student is defined to mean a mature student who was not ordinarily resident at home with his or her parents from the October preceding their entry to an approved course. Independent mature students are assessed without reference to either their parents' income or address. Similar provisions apply in relation to the other maintenance grant schemes.
Under the means test provisions of the schemes, the reckonable income of a candidate, other than an independent mature candidate, is his/her gross income from all sources, and the gross income of his/her parents or guardians where applicable, with certain specified social welfare and health board payments being exempt.
A reduction in the age threshold defining mature student status under my Department's maintenance grants schemes would have to be considered in the light of available financial resources and other competing demands in the education sector. There are no plans at present to change the eligibility criteria in this regard.
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