Student Grant Scheme Application Numbers

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 February 2013

Tuesday, 19 February 2013

Ceisteanna (339)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

339. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the average income of the farming families whose children qualified for a student grant in 2012/2013 or for the most recent year available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8745/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

Data is not collated on average incomes for any socio-economic group. Grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. Various income thresholds for a grant apply depending on the number of dependent children in a family and/or the number of children attending further and higher education. Any applicant from any sector of society, including farmers, below these threshold and who meets all of the other terms and conditions of the student grant scheme will qualify for a grant. A table outlining the income thresholds for the 2012/13 academic year follows.

SCHEDULE 1

Reckonable Income Limits for maintenance and fee grants for the 2012/13 academic year

Part A

1. Reckonable income limits:

The period 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011 is the reference period for the academic year 2012/13. The income limits that apply to tuition students relate to the fee elements only. A tuition student does not qualify for any maintenance grant.

Income Limits for Maintenance and Fee Grants - Table A

-	Maintenance	Maintenance	Maintenance	Maintenance	Maintenance	Maintenance	Maintenance	Maintenance
-	Special Rate*	100% Standard Rate	75% Standard Rate	50% Standard Rate	25% Standard Rate	Not payable	Not payable	Not payable
-	Fee elements:	Fee elements:	Fee elements:	Fee elements:	Fee elements:	Fee elements:	Fee elements:	Fee elements:
To qualify for	100% Tuition Fees	100% Tuition Fees	100% Tuition Fees	100% Tuition Fees	100% Tuition Fees	50% Tuition Fees	Tuition Fees — Not payable	Tuition Fees — Not payable
To qualify for	100% Student Contribution	100% Student Contribution	100% Student Contribution	100% Student Contribution	100% Student Contribution	100% Student Contribution	50% Student Contribution	50% Student Contribution — Not payable
To qualify for	Field Trip	Field Trip	Field Trip	Field Trip	Field Trip	Field Trip — Not payable	Field Trip — Not payable	Field Trip — Not payable
-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Postgraduate Fee Contribution:
No. of dependent children	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Payable
Less than 4	€22,703	€41,110	€42,235	€44,720	€47,205	€51,380	€55,920	€31,500
4 — 7	€22,703	€45,165	€46,415	€49,145	€51,880	€56,460	€61,440	€34,615
8 or more	€22,703	€49,045	€50,400	€53,360	€56,320	€61,295	€66,700	€37,580

Additional increments that may be applied to the income limits in Table A for Maintenance and Fee Grants - Table B**

+ increment for each additional relevant person

€0

+ €4,980

+ €4,815

+ €4,815

+ €4,815

+ €4,980

+ €4,980

+ €4,980

*To be eligible for the special rate of maintenance an applicant's reckonable income on 31 December 2011 must include an eligible payment listed in Schedule 2.

** Increments which may be applied to the relevant income limits