Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for his reply. Will he indicate when the scheme for the next academic year will be published? Generally, it is published in May or June, but the earlier the better, as I know from my own experience as a Deputy. The Minister referred to the budgetary parameters within which he works and the parcel of money that is allocated for the higher education grant scheme. Having spoken to students and USI officials, I know that they are anxious for the Minister to review the new arrangements concerning adjacent and non-adjacent rates. They made the valid point that there should be a graduated scheme, perhaps involving another type of non-adjacent rate and a near-adjacent rate. There should be some graduation in it because it will be a fairly blunt instrument when the new arrangements come into place due to the monetary pressures involved. Those pressures are severe because of the 60% increase in participation in higher education in less than a decade, which is welcome nonetheless. Many of those currently participating in higher education come from homes where incomes are quite low. The Minister should consider ameliorating the proposal as outlined in budget 2011.

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