Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 July 2018
238. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applicants in 2016 and 2017 for SUSI maintenance grants by persons that lived between the current 45 km and previous 22.5 km boundary for the non-adjacent maintenance grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31600/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that Budget 2011 provided for a number of student grant measures which came into effect for the 2011/12 academic year, including the change in the assessment of the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of grant from 24 kilometres to 45 kilometres.
The 24km distance criterion was originally set in 1968 and had not been updated in more than 40 years. Since then, significant improvements have taken place in the road and rail network and it is considered that the revised distance criteria is more consistent with the type of distances that students may legitimately be expected to commute to college.
The number of students awarded a third level grant for each of the academic years 16/17 and 17/18 who reside between 24km and 45 km is circa 7,800 and 8,800, respectively.
