Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 554: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the income threshold for students to qualify for the top-up higher education grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35272/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

To qualify for the top-up grant in the academic year 2006/2007 all candidates must satisfy the following conditions:

1. Qualify for the ordinary maintenance grant in respect of the academic year 2006/07;

2. Total reckonable income limit in the tax year to 31 December 2005 must not exceed €16,748 (net of standard exclusions, as set out in the 2006 Maintenance Grants Schemes and net of Child Dependant increase (CDI) payments, where applicable);

3. As at 31 December 2005, the reckonable income of parent(s)/guardian(s), the candidate himself/herself, or the income of the spouse/partner, as the case may be, must include one of the eligible social welfare payments prescribed under the Scheme.

List of Eligible Payments

1. Social Assistance Payments

Blind Person's Pension

Carer's Allowance

Deserted Wife's Allowance

Disability Allowance

Farm Assist

Lone Parent's allowance

Unemployment Assistance (where held for 391 days or more)

Old Age (Non-Contributory) Pension

One parent family payment

Orphans (Non-Contributory) pension

Pre-retirement allowance

Prisoner's Wife's Allowance

Widow's/Widower's (Non-Contributory) Pension.

2. Social Insurance Payments

Carer's Benefit

Deserted Wife's Benefit

Invalidity pension

Unemployability Supplement

Occupational Injuries Death Benefit (Orphan's pension)

Occupational Injuries Death Benefit (pension for a widow or widower)

Old Age Contributory Pension

Orphan's (Contributory) Allowance

Unemployment Benefit (continuous for at least 12 months)

Widow's/Widower's (Contributory) Pension

Retirement Pension.

3. Family Income Supplement (FIS)

4. Designated Programmes

Back to Education Allowance

Back to Work Allowance (Employees)

Back to Work Enterprise Allowance

Community Employment Scheme

FÁS Training Programmes, including Apprenticeships

Job Start

Part time job incentive scheme

Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)

5. Others

(a) In receipt of payments under the Fáilte Ireland Skills Programme equivalent to a social welfare payment;

(b) In receipt of payments under the FIT (Fastrack to IT) initiative equivalent to a social welfare payment;

(c) Participants on a training course approved by a Government Department, State Agency or Area Partnership and who were in receipt of an eligible payment prior to progressing to the programme;

(d) Grant aided employees in social economy enterprises;

(e) In receipt of payments under the Senior Traveller Training Centre programmes.