Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 275: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps she is taking to address the confusion regarding third level student financial supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18718/06]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 276: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the measures she is taking to ensure that information pertaining to third level student financial supports is more widely available and issued in a format more accessible to students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18719/06]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she expects to have Government approval for the publication of the Student Support Bill; the timeframe for the passing of the Student Support Bill through the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18722/06]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will reform the grants system in order that grant supports for students are expanded to include provision for child care and equipment; if she will put in place a higher education grant review system for students failing a year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18723/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 275, 276, 279 and 280 together.

The Deputy will be aware that in accordance with the commitment in the Agreed Programme for Government I plan to introduce a single unified scheme of maintenance grants for students in higher education. This will, I believe, provide for a more coherent administration system which will facilitate consistency of application, improved client accessibility and ensure the timely delivery of grants to those who need them most. The maintenance grants are reviewed annually and improvements made as necessary, having regard to available resources. I attach particular importance to the issue of the quality and timeliness of information for students in relation to the financial supports which may be available to them. A number of initiatives have been taken by my Department in this regard, including the issuing of an information sheet direct to each CAO applicant. I have also asked the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education to review existing information strategies and to bring forward proposals for additional initiatives which I expect to have in the near future.

In relation to the future administration of the schemes, my Department has, as I have indicated previously, been engaged in substantial consultations with the key stakeholders in order to map the most logical and effective arrangements for the future structure and administration of the student support schemes. These discussions have substantially clarified the positions of the various stakeholders and interest groups in relation to the future administration possibilities for student support. I expect to be in a position in the coming weeks to decide on a strategy, having regard to the many and complex issues involved, to give effect to the Programme for Government commitment to the payment of the maintenance grants through a unified and flexible payment scheme. The arrangements to be put in place will involve clearly defined targets for the delivery of a quality and timely service to applicants for maintenance grants, including the expeditious payment of grants to applicants who comply with the terms of the schemes. The arrangements for the future administration will, as I have previously indicated, be provided for in new statutory framework through a Student Support Bill and I expect to be in a position to seek Government approval in the near future for the drafting of the Bill.

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to streamline the administration of the student assistance fund and the millennium partnership fund in order that students in some communities and colleges are not disadvantaged in comparison to others; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18720/06]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to introduce baseline funding for under represented groups at third level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18721/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 277 and 278 together.

The Student Assistance Fund is available to students experiencing particular or unexpected hardship during their course of study. The fund is allocated on a per capita basis to publicly-funded higher education institutions. In 2005-06, 35 institutions received funding totalling €5.8m. Over 12,000 students benefited from the fund during 2004-05.

Until 2005, the amount of funding available for the access funds, including the Student Assistance Fund, varied annually, depending on the level of demand for the top-up maintenance grant. The decision in 2004 to separate expenditure on the top-up maintenance grant from other access funding programmes has ended these variations. Students apply for the Student Assistance Fund through their student services office or to the access officer within their institution.

The Millennium Partnership Fund, which was established in 2000, also provides community-based funding. It supports retention and participation among under-represented groups of students in further or higher education and is available to students in area partnerships and community groups which participate in the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme (LDSIP).

Application for Millennium funding is made annually by organisations through Pobal Ltd., the state company established to promote social inclusion, reconciliation and equality in Ireland and which has administered the fund since it was established. In 2005, a total of €1.89m was allocated to 57 community groups and partnerships. In 2004-05, the latest year for which figures are available, approximately 3,750 students in higher and further education benefited from the fund.

The National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education within the Higher Education Authority recently completed a review of funding to achieve equity of access to higher education. The review process involved qualitative and quantitative data research, wide-ranging consultation, the publication of a discussion document, submissions and focus group meetings. This review was published by the National Office and launched by me in December 2005. Included in this review were the Student Assistance Fund and the Millennium Partnership Fund. The review of the Millennium Partnership Fund was informed by the evaluation of the Millennium partnership fund which was published in 2005. This report analysed the extent to which the Millennium Partnership Fund in its current form represents a good strategic fit with other funding programmes such as the Student Assistance Fund. The report recommended a model for the future of the Millennium Partnership Fund that builds on best practice and the opportunities created by its community-based dimension. The National Office has been consultation with Pobal, the current administrators of the Millennium Partnership Fund, in relation to the future administration of the fund.

Local variations in funding at institutional and/or community level is one of the six key issues for resolution that the National Office review identifies and recommends that "guidelines on local funding should be agreed and implemented so that decisions on which students receive funding are clear and transparent".

The National Office has commenced work on implementing the recommendations of its funding review, including the recommendation in respect of the Student Assistance Fund and the Millennium Partnership fund. I envisage that the National Office will, in this context, develop and implement overarching guidelines pertaining to the operation of the Student Assistance Fund and the Millennium Partnership Fund.

The 2005-06 student support schemes gave particular priority to addressing inequities in participation of students from the lower socio-economic groups through the Special Rates of Maintenance (Top-Up) grant. There was a significant increase of more than 20% in the "Top-Up" grant for the 2005/06 academic year, bringing the maximum rate of grant payable, including top-up, to €5,355, compared to €4,000 in 2002. Over 12,500 students were in receipt of the 'Top-Up' in the academic year 2005/05. This exceeds the target recommended in the Report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education (Mac Namara Report). In total, it is estimated that approximately 56,000 further and higher education students received maintenance grant assistance in 2005/06.