Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the legal impediments to the proposed Student Support Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19179/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The purpose of the proposed Student Support Bill is to provide a statutory framework for coherent administration of a single unified scheme of student maintenance grants to facilitate greater consistency of application, improved client accessibility and timely delivery of grants to those who need them most. This is part of my overall strategy to introduce service improvements in the administration of the student grant schemes. These will include guaranteed timeframes for the earlier payment of grants, an independent appeals procedure and more efficient arrangements for handling applications and making payments.

To effect these administrative and service improvements requires the introduction of a new statutory basis for the scheme to replace the existing arrangements which involve a mix of statutory and non-statutory administrative schemes. In moving from the four existing schemes to a single statutory-based scheme, a range of issues emerged to be addressed. While it was not possible to resolve all of these matters in time to facilitate publication of the Bill in the last Dáil session, it is expected that any outstanding issues will be addressed following ongoing review of the overall structure of the draft legislative provisions. I now expect to be in a position to publish the Bill in the autumn session.

I would like to assure the Deputy that this will not delay the grant schemes for the coming academic year. Indeed, the revised 2007/08 student grant schemes have already issued to the awarding bodies, the Local Authorities and the Vocational Education Committees. This year, the schemes have been made available a month earlier than in 2006, facilitating a substantial level of service improvement for students.

I am pleased to be able to inform the Deputy that I have secured approval for a 10% increase in the standard rate of student grant with effect from September next. This very substantial increase, at twice the rate of inflation, will benefit over 56,000 students who receive a maintenance grant to attend higher and further education. This will mean an increase in the maximum rate of ordinary grant to €3,420 for 2007/08 and students who qualify will also have the student service charge paid on their behalf.

In addition, over 12,500 students in receipt of the "Special Rate" of maintenance grant will benefit from an even more substantial increase of over 14%, with the maximum rate for 2007/08 increasing to €6,690. In parallel with these significant rate increases, the annual income thresholds to qualify for student grants will also be increased with effect from the coming September.

Financial barriers have long being recognised as a major disincentive for many students who wish to access third level education. This significant increase in the ordinary rate of maintenance grant, at twice the level of inflation, will make the third level option more affordable for a broad range of students and their families. In approving an even higher increase in the special rate of maintenance grant, I am further targeting that support at those most in need, to encourage access to further and higher education for everyone.

This Government's continued commitment to supporting high rates of participation in third level education at all levels of society will ensure that Ireland continues to attract and maintain investment in high quality jobs and that the fruits of the economy can be enjoyed by all.

The new schemes can be accessed and/or downloaded from the "Students & Trainees" section of the Department's website at www.education.ie.