Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 12 Nov 2002

Vol. 557 No. 1

Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.

John Perry

Ceist:

281 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the financial pressure on trainee teachers who are required to undergo teaching practice where they have to provide all teaching materials for themselves; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that with teaching practices in any part of the country, trainees have also to pay for accommodation near the school and may have to also pay for their accommodation to hold a place for them to stay on returning from teaching practice; if financial aid will be granted to teacher students during teaching practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21376/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

The assignment of students to schools for the purposes of completing their teacher training is a matter for the institutions themselves.

In terms of financial assistance, students pursuing a higher diploma in education may be eligible for assistance under the higher education grants scheme. This scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the local authorities, provides means-tested grants to eligible students who are pursing approved courses. The practice of recent years has been to increase the level of maintenance grants annually at least in line with inflation and to increase the reckonable income limits at the same time in line with movements in the average industrial wage.