Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 125: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if provisions are available for children of social welfare recipients, who are marginally over the income levels for support under the third level student grant schemes, to receive a proportional top up grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38143/08]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the provisions in place for social welfare recipients, who are marginally over the income levels for support under the third level student grant schemes, to appeal the refusal of grants to their children by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38142/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 154 together.

The decision on eligibility for student maintenance grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority, either the local authority or VEC, as appropriate. The appeal provisions in place for social welfare recipients are the same as those for all grant applicants. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of maintenance grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the relevant local authority or VEC. Where an appeal is turned down, in writing, by the relevant local authority or VEC and the applicant remains of the view that the body has not interpreted the schemes correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to my Department.

The prescribed income limit for the special rate of maintenance grant for the academic year 2008/2009 is €20,147. Applicants with reckonable income above that threshold may still qualify for the standard rate of maintenance grant.

In addition, the Student Assistance Fund is designed to assist students who, having commenced a third-level course, experience financial hardship that may render them unable to continue their third-level studies. Applications for funding are made by the individual student to the Access Officer in the institution in which they are studying. The Fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.