Higher Education Grants.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 November 2005

Wednesday, 2 November 2005

Ceisteanna (494, 495, 496)

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

579 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of persons who qualified for top ups for higher education grants in each of the past five years. [31850/05]

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

580 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science the cut off point for top up higher education grants. [31851/05]

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

581 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science the way in which a student is refused a top up for higher education grant when their parents’ only source of income is a disability payment from the Department of Social and Family Affairs and this payment falls well below the income threshold for availing of such a grant. [31852/05]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Science (Ms Hanafin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 579 to 581, inclusive, together.

The report of the action group on access to third level education, which was launched in July 2001, made detailed recommendations concerning the target group of "those most in need" which has been defined in terms of the child dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments, where the necessary conditions are fulfilled.

The action group recommended the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students, usually referred to as "top-up" grants and advised that an income limit should be fixed at a level which would, at a minimum, include persons on unemployment assistance, long-term, with a qualified adult allowance, full rate. The special rate of maintenance grant was introduced for the 2000 to 2001 academic year.

Following a review in early 2002, the income thresholds for the award of the special rate of grant were increased. In addition, the criteria was broadened significantly and a number of additional social welfare payments were included as eligible payments for the purpose of the scheme. Since 2002 to 2003, the total reckonable income limit has been based on the maximum point of the old age contributory pension plus the maximum qualified adult allowance for a person over 66 years. This yielded an annual income threshold of €15,626 for the 2005 scheme.

To qualify for the top-up grant in the academic year 2005-06 all candidates must satisfy the following conditions. They must qualify for the ordinary maintenance grant in respect of the academic year 2005 to 2006. Their total reckonable income limit in the tax year to 31 December 2004 must not exceed €15,626, net of standard exclusions, as set out in the 2005 maintenance grants schemes and net of CDA payments, where applicable. As at 31 December 2004, the reckonable income of parent or parents, guardian or guardians, the candidate himself or herself or the income of the spouse or partner as the case may be, must include one of the eligible social welfare payments prescribed under the scheme.

Where the reckonable income exceeds the "top-up" income limit of €15,626 the candidate is ineligible for ‘top-up' grant assistance. The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is desired.

If an individual applicant considers that he or she has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not correct, she or he may appeal to the relevant local authority or VEC.

Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by the relevant local authority or VEC, and remains of the view that the body has not interpreted the schemes correctly in his or her case, a letter outlining the position may be sent to my Department. Alternatively, as already indicated, the local authority or VEC may, itself, in exceptional circumstances, seek clarification on issues from my Department. However, it is not open to me, or my Department, to depart from the terms of the maintenance grants schemes in individual cases.

The following paragraphs outline the estimated number of persons who qualified for a top-up in the last five years based on information received from awarding authorities together with details of the rate of grant and the list of eligible payments in respect of the 2005 to 2006 scheme.

As far as the award of a special rate of maintenance grant in respect of the 2005-06 academic year is concerned, a candidates reckonable income, for the period 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004, the 2004 tax year, shall not exceed: €15,626 net of standard exclusions and net of child dependant increase paid by the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

As of 31 December 2004, this reckonable income must include one of the social welfare payments listed as follows. First, the category of social assistance payments includes blind person's pension, carer's allowance, deserted wife's allowance, disability allowance, farm assist, lone parent's allowance, unemployment assistance where held for 391 days or more, old age non-contributory pension, one-parent family payment, orphans non-contributory pension, pre-retirement allowance, prisoner's wife's allowance and the widow's or widower's non-contributory pension.

Second, the category of social insurance payments includes carer's benefit, deserted wife's benefit, invalidity pension, unemployability supplement, the orphan's pension associated with the occupational injuries death benefit, occupational injuries death benefit, that is, a pension for a widow or widower, old age contributory pension, orphan's contributory allowance, unemployment benefit which is continuous for at least 12 months, widow's or widower's contributory pension and the retirement pension.

Third is the family income supplement, FIS. Fourth, the designated programmes include the back to education allowance, the back to work allowance for employees, the back to work enterprise allowance, the community employment scheme, FÁS training programmes including apprenticeships, Jobstart, the part time job incentive scheme and the vocational training opportunities scheme, VTOS. Fifth is the category of others, which includes those: in receipt of payments under the Fáilte Ireland skills programme equivalent to a social welfare payment; in receipt of payments under the FIT, Fastrack to IT, initiative equivalent to a social welfare payment; who are participants on a training course approved by a Department, State agency or area partnership and who were in receipt of an eligible payment prior to progressing to the programme; grant aided employees in social economy enterprises; and those in receipt of payments under the senior traveller training centre programmes.

The following table gives details of the number of students who qualified for top-up grant.

Scheme	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05
Top-Up Holders	2,316	3,422	9,984	11,500	12,500 approximately.