Vol. 541 No. 4
136 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Science his strategy to address the declining proportion of third level students who qualify for maintenance grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22982/01]
The number of students in third level courses in institutions aided by my Department in 1995-96 was 95,099. The corresponding figure for 1999-2000 was 115,696, an increase of 22%. Specifically at third level, the Government has funded a major increase in the number of places in public colleges and that continues to be a priority. My approach in relation to the maintenance grant schemes has been to follow the practice of recent years and increase the reckonable income limits in line with movements in the average industrial wage in the previous year. Last June, I approved an increase of 6.5% in the reckonable income limits for the 2001-02 academic year. This exceeded the increase in the average industrial wage for the period March 1999 to March 2000, which was 5.9%. I also increased by 6.5% the allowance by which the income limits may be increased in respect of other family members pursuing a course of study.
In November last I announced that I was setting up a special project team to carry out a comprehensive review of every aspect of the maintenance grants, and other student supports, to ensure their relevance to the needs of present day third-level students. The project team consists of officials from my Department and the Department of Finance. The Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, has also been commissioned to carry out research including projections for the increased number of grant holders and the cost involved, were the income thresholds to be significantly increased. This review, which is at present in progress, is a wide-ranging review covering many topics. These include the level of grants, the methods by which they are paid, eligibility and income limits, accommodation needs, student support services, the most suitable paying agency, the provision of an appeals system, student loans and taxation. Issues relating to the implementation of the team's recommendations will be addressed when its report has been completed.
There is a provision within the national development plan for a third level access fund totalling £95 million over the period 2000 to 2006, aimed at tackling under-representation by students from disadvantaged backgrounds, mature students and students with disabilities to third level education. In September 2000, I established the action group on access to third level education to advise me on the most effective ways to increase participation by the three target groups. The group's report, which I launched in July 2001, makes detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students. The special rates of maintenance grant are aimed at students in disadvantaged circumstances. In order to target those most in need, eligibility is confined to students where family income comes from long-term social welfare payments or from specific schemes such as the community employment scheme.
