Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 293: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will increase the income level for eligibility for third level grants in order that a couple who each earn the average industrial wage or less would qualify for a grant to send their child to third level education. [33582/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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This Government has shown a clear determination to dramatically improve the financial support available to those students who need it most.

We introduced a Top Up Grant, which currently benefits over 12,000 students this year. The higher, non-adjacent special rate of maintenance is based on the maximum personal rate of Social Welfare Unemployment Assistance. This year the top up grant was increased by 22.5%. Indeed, with the increases that we have provided in recent years, the maximum amount of grant support available this year (including top-up) is €5,970, compared to just €2,032 in 1996/97. The payment rates for the ordinary maintenance grants have also been increased in recent years.

In relation to the reckonable income limits under the maintenance grant schemes, the practice in recent years has been to increase the limits at least in line with movements in the average industrial wage in the previous year in the reference period (September to September). This year, an increase of 5.3% was approved, in the reckonable income limits for the 2006/2007 academic year, as has the allowance by which the income limits may be increased for each dependant where two or more children are in further or higher education. This increase was ahead of the 3.2% increase in the relevant reference period.

The top income limit has been increased from €44,350 to €46,700 (where there are less than four children). Higher income thresholds than this apply in cases where there are 4 or more dependent children in the family.

The annual income threshold for the special rates of maintenance grant has been increased, in line with the relevant social welfare payments by over 7%.

Over €228 million has been allocated for third level maintenance grants in 2006.

This Government is committed to ongoing improvements in the student support schemes, including increasing the value of maintenance grants and increasing the income limits, as resources permit.