Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 265: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a person who suffers from a disability or illness which requires supervision, for example epilepsy, but fulfils all other criteria for eligibility for a higher education grant as an independent mature student, is ineligible on the basis of their disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37274/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students which are administered by the Local Authorities and the Vocational Education Committees. Generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses at undergraduate or postgraduate level for the first time are eligible for maintenance grants where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to age, residence, means and nationality.

The Higher Education Grant Schemes operate under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. The Acts make special provision for the assessment of means in the case of mature students. Under the terms of the Higher Education Grants Scheme, mature students are categorised as either independent mature students or mature students dependent on parents. An independent mature student is defined to mean a mature student who was not ordinarily resident at home with his or her parents from the October preceding their entry to an approved course.

Independent mature students are deemed to be self-supporting and are assessed without reference to either their parents' income or address. The statutory definition of a mature student is a person of not less than 23 years of age who has reached that age on the 1st day of January in the year of entry to an approved course.

Eligibility for assistance under each of the four schemes is determined with reference to age, nationality, income, residency and previous academic attainment. A student's personal circumstances, i.e. a disability, do not influence a decision on eligibility for grant assistance under the student grant schemes. The other schemes of student support for third level students have similar provisions.

Apart from the funding provided through the student maintenance grant schemes support is also available to students with disabilities through the Fund for Students with Disabilities. Grants are provided for students who have serious sensory, physical and/or communicative disabilities. The purpose of the scheme is to provide the students in question with assistance and/or equipment to enable them to enter, partake-in and complete their course of study.

Students are advised to contact the Disability Officer in their institution to discuss their particular disability and the equipment or services required.