Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 498: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of special scholarships for students from areas of significant disadvantage made available by her Department. [19627/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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A number of access programmes are supported by my Department under special initiatives for disadvantaged second level schools. Financial support is provided for schools in a number of disadvantaged areas, including Ballymun, Clondalkin, Tallaght, Limerick, Blanchardstown and inner-city Dublin. Under these programmes, students can avail of a range of supports such as guidance, mentoring programmes, study skills, and tailored tuition. The programmes also develop strong links with third level institutions to encourage more students to complete senior cycle and progress to third level.

My Department does not fund special scholarships for students from areas of significant disadvantage to pursue third level education. My Department does, however, fund three means-tested maintenance grant schemes for third level education students in respect of attendance on approved courses in approved third level institutions and one grant scheme in respect of Post Leaving Certificate courses:

(a) The Higher Education Grants Scheme

(b) The Vocational Education Committees' Scholarship Scheme

(c) The Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees

(d) Maintenance Grants Scheme for Students attending Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) Courses.

The statutory framework for the Higher Education Grants Schemes is set out in the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. It is the Local Authorities which, on behalf of my Department, administer this scheme. The Vocational Education Committees' Scholarship Scheme, the Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees and the Scheme for PLC students are administered, on behalf of my Department, by the Vocational Education Committees.

All four schemes have similar provisions which govern the award of a grant. The position is that, generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to age, residence, means, nationality and previous academic attainment.

An application for a grant must be made to the relevant Local Authority or VEC. Decisions on applications are taken by these bodies based on the terms of the schemes which issue from my Department.

The National Development Plan 2000-2006, with assistance from the European Social Fund, provides for a Third Level Access Fund aimed at tackling under-representation by disadvantaged students in third-level education.

The Third Level Access Fund includes the following initiatives:—

—The Special Rates of Maintenance Grant

—The ESF aided Fund for Students with Disabilities

—The ESF aided Student Assistance Fund

—The ESF aided Millennium Partnership Fund.

Eligibility to the Special Rates of Maintenance Grant is determined by reference to an income threshold and receipt of an approved long-term social welfare payment. To be eligible, applicants must first qualify for the ordinary maintenance grant.

It is estimated that the numbers benefiting under this scheme is approximately 12,500.

The Fund for Students with Disabilities aims to assist students with disabilities in third-level institutions and PLC colleges to participate in further and higher education. The purpose of the Fund is to provide students with serious physical and/or sensory disabilities with grant assistance towards the cost of special equipment, special materials and technological aids, targeted transport services, personal assistants and sign language interpreters. The Fund operates on a discretionary basis. Applications for funding should be made by the Disability/Access Officer in the Institution, or by the Principal in a PLC college. Students should discuss their particular disability, and equipment or services required, with their Institution/PLC College.

In publicly funded third level institutions there is a Student Assistance Fund (SAF). The objective of the SAF is to assist students in a sensitive and compassionate manner who might otherwise, because of financial reasons, suffer severe hardship or be unable to continue their third level studies.

Applications for funding should be made by the individual student to the Access Officer in their institution. The SAF is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.

Another initiative under the Third Level Access Fund is the Millennium Partnership Fund for Disadvantage. The objective of this Fund is to support students from disadvantaged areas with regard to retention and participation in further or higher education courses. Partnership Companies and Community Groups manage the fund locally. Pobal manages the fund for the Department of Education and Science. Under the fund, eligible actions may include the following but will be dependent on the individual Partnership or Community Group:

—Financial supports to meet student participation costs;

—Provision of information, e.g. guidance and mentoring;

—Study supports including tuition, study skills.