Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 578: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the agency of the VEC or the local authorities that will be given the responsibility for processing the higher education grants for the academic year 2007 and 2008; when it is proposed to seek applications for the higher education grants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11648/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I announced in June 2006 that the Vocational Education Committees were to be given sole responsibility for the administration of the third level student maintenance grants, as part of my overall plans to introduce service improvements in the administration of the student grant schemes. The arrangements for the future administration will be provided for in new statutory framework through a student support Bill which will place all student support schemes on a statutory footing for the first time, including providing for the designation of an appropriate awarding authority and for the general basis on which grants will be awarded to eligible students. My Department is in consultation with the key stakeholders in order to map the most logical and effective arrangements for the future structure and administration of the student support schemes, including the arrangements for the 2007/08 academic year. These consultations are a priority for my Department at present. Work on the income limits, rates of grant and other aspects of the general criteria of the 2007 Maintenance Grant Schemes is also a priority in my Department. It is anticipated that any change in criteria will be completed in time to give sufficient notice to awarding bodies and grant applicants in advance of the 2007/2008 academic year. My Department recognises the importance of notifying the awarding bodies of any changes in relation to the Schemes at the earliest possible date. The Deputy may be assured, therefore, that the 2007 Schemes will issue to the awarding bodies as soon as the Schemes have been finalised.

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 579: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if there are funds available from her Department or from any other source to part fund the efforts of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11649/07]

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. The Higher Education Grant Scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for maintenance grants where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to age, residence, means and nationality. The decision on eligibility for third level or further education grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases — if, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is desired.

The Third Level Student Support Schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants to eligible students pursuing approved full-time undergraduate courses of at least two years duration (pursued in a university or a third level institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds) in other EU Member States with effect from the 1996/97 academic year. The extension of the Schemes at that time did not include courses at postgraduate level or to courses outside the EU and, accordingly, there is no grant aid available under the schemes for students pursuing studies outside of the EU. Any extension to the scope of the maintenance grants schemes, can be considered only in the light of available resources and in the context of competing demands within the education sector. I would like to make the Deputy aware of the Endeavour Programme, an internationally competitive, merit-based scholarship programme that forms part of the Australian Government's $1.4 billion Australian Scholarships Initiative. Further details of the initiative are available from the relevant section of the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training website, www.endeavour.dest.gov.au.