Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

As I indicated in my reply of 26 April 2005 to Parliamentary Question No. 70, the administration of student support schemes is complex and resource intensive involving the processing and assessment of applications and resulting in the payment of grants to more than 56,000 students annually. Expenditure in 2004 was almost €203 million.

Student support is provided through three means-tested maintenance grant schemes for third-level students. The higher education grants scheme operates on a statutory basis, while the vocational education committees' scholarship scheme and the third-level maintenance grants scheme for trainees operate on an administrative basis. The statutory framework for maintenance grants under the higher education grants scheme is set out in the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts 1968 to 1992.

In accordance with the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government it is planned to have a single unified scheme of maintenance grants for students in higher education in place for the academic year, 2006-07. This will provide for a more coherent administration system that will facilitate consistency of application and improved client accessibility. This is necessary if we are to ensure public confidence in the awards system and the timely delivery of grants to those who need them most.

As the Deputy is aware, my Department has been engaged in ongoing consultations with the key stakeholders such as the Irish Vocational Education Association, the County and City Managers' Association, various social partners and other relevant Departments to map the most logical and effective arrangements for the future structure and administration of the student support schemes. Discussions with the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Revenue Commissioners have related to their possible contribution to the future shape and administration of the student support schemes.

These discussions have substantially clarified the positions of the stakeholders in the future administration possibilities for the schemes and their possible role therein. I expect to be in a position before the autumn to determine the best strategy to give effect to the programme for Government commitment to the payment of the maintenance grants through a unified and flexible payment scheme.

Whatever new arrangements are eventually decided upon will be provided for in new statutory arrangements through a new student support Bill. This Bill, that will provide statutory underpinning for the schemes, will have as a key objective the promotion of equality of access. I also envisage that the Bill will provide for an independent appeals system. The timescale for publication of the Bill is contingent on the range of issues, the subject of the consultations already referred to.

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