Vol. 571 No. 3
11 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the survey undertaken by USI which shows that the cost of attending college has risen to almost ?7,000 per year and that some students are borrowing money from unlicensed money lenders in order to pay the high cost of college; if he has plans to increase the maintenance grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21498/03]
I am aware of the survey referred to by the Deputy. He will no doubt be aware that the estimated cost to which it refers included expenditure on items such as alcohol and cigarettes. The figure of €7,000 also includes registration, examinations and student service charges. A significant number of students have the student service charge paid on their behalf by my Department.
The Government is fully aware of the cost involved in and the benefits accruing from participation in further and higher education. In this connection, on 25 May 2003 I announced a new package of student support measures costing €42 million in a full year to further address and ameliorate the problems facing students from low to moderate income households in accessing third level education. This package combines substantial improvements in the level and coverage of the maintenance grant for those on low to moderate incomes, with increases in the level of top-up grant for those who are most disadvantaged.
The main provisions arising from the €42 million package are an increase of 15% in the maintenance grant to give a maximum grant of €2,885, benefiting, it is estimated, approximately 56,000 students; significant increases, above the normal CPI increases, in the reckonable income limits and the allowance by which the income limits may be increased for each dependant where two or more children are in further or higher education; the introduction of a revised income limit scheme, to include the following threshold levels: a new part maintenance – 75% – and full fees, an upgrading of the full fees only income limit to become a part maintenance – 25% – and full fees entitlement; an increase in the top income limit from €36,897 to €40,000, which will ensure that a significantly higher number of students from households with moderate incomes will not have to pay the student service charge; significant improvements have been effected in the special rates of maintenance grant, or top-up grants, for students from disadvantaged backgrounds; the higher, non-adjacent rate has been increased to €4,495 an amount equal to the maximum personal rate of social welfare unemployment assistance and the adjacent rate has been increased to €1,800. These increases represent top-ups on the ordinary grant of €1,610 and €645, respectively, and an increase of 10.8% to €13,760 in the annual income threshold for the special rates of grant.
This substantial package of measures will provide the opportunity, in an unprecedented manner, for students from disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve their full potential in the education system.
I expected the Minister to mention expenditure on alcohol and cigarettes. The USI was probably being honest about the items on which students spend money.
That is fine as long it did not expect my Department to pay for them.
The Department is not expected to pay for alcohol and cigarettes. I hope, however, that the Minister is concerned about other costs, for example, accommodation which averages €290 a month, a significant figure. Will he comment on the finding in the survey that half the students have to work part-time to finance their study? Does he intend to further increase support for students, particularly those whose families are on low incomes?
There are no such plans. l had the experience of having two children at college last year. Those students paying €290 per week for accommodation are at the luxury end of the market.
The figure refers to monthly accommodation costs.
Written answers follow Adjournment Debate.
