Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn and I thank the Deputy for raising it.

The Deputy refers to a change to the student grant schemes announced in budget 2011 by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government, which removed the automatic eligibility for mature students to the non-adjacent rate of grant effective from September 2011. I understand the overarching need in making changes to the student grant schemes for the 2011-12 academic year was to find savings to manage additional cost pressures arising from a significant increase in the number of students qualifying for grants, a proportionate increase in the number of students qualifying for higher rates of grants and payment of the student contribution on behalf of grant-holders.

As a consequence, the removal of the automatic entitlement to the non-adjacent rate of grant for mature students was one of three measures introduced to ensure that the student grant system is not extended beyond what current resources will allow in a climate of overall pressures on the public finances.

The non-adjacent rate of grant is designed to assist with the costs of living away from home. I know that the change for mature students took account, therefore, of the availability of improved transport facilities and road networks, and better and more cost effective travelling options that have altered commuting practice more generally in society over that time. It also took account the availability of further and higher education options closer to home in the PLC and institute of technology sector.

Reliance was also placed on the fourth round of the Irish Eurostudent Survey which provides information on where students live. The statistics indicate that 45% of all full-time students now choose to live in their own or their parents' home during term time, yet 77% of grant holders are currently on the higher non-adjacent rate. Clearly, this is a mismatch given what the non-adjacent rate of grant is trying to achieve.

The recently published DIT Student Cost Of Living Guide 2011-12, which provides students with information on costs for rent, utilities, food, travel, etc. shows that the likely cost for a student living in rented accommodation is almost twice the cost involved for students living at home. This underscores the reason for a non-adjacent rate of grant. Where mature students are living within 45 km of their college the measure in question brings the grant level that will be paid to them from next September in line with all other students in similar circumstances.

In general, it was considered that none of the changes in budget 2011 would result in a student losing a grant or becoming ineligible for a grant. However, if the approach was not taken to target grant reductions in areas where students' costs are genuinely lower, a far deeper cut than the 4%, which was introduced for all grant levels in January of this year, would have been needed. The potential impact of this on all students, particularly those on the lowest income, was taken into account.

From next September, all eligible students, including mature students, living more than 45 km away will get the non-adjacent rate of grant and those with particularly low incomes will still qualify for a top-up in the special rate of grant. In addition, the student assistance fund at some €5 million continues to be made available through the access offices of third-level institutions to assist students in exceptional financial need.

I regret that the economic circumstances of the country are such that the Minister is not in a position to reverse or vary any of the changes to the student grant schemes, including that for mature students.

See this speech in context