Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 28: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she plans to publish the Student Support Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19894/06]

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 85: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when legislation to regularise third-level student support services will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19838/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 85 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.

I expect to be in a position shortly to decide on the many complex issues in giving 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 a new statutory framework through a Student Support Bill, for the drafting of which I will be seeking Government approval shortly.