Written answers

Thursday, 5 February 2009

Department of Education and Science

Third Level Fees

5:00 pm

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 263: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on whether assessing student fee applications with reference to their parents' incomes should be reconsidered in view of the fact that most students are adults in the eyes of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4003/09]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I do not consider the present arrangements to be unreasonable. Under the terms of my Department's student grant schemes, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants where they satisfy the prescribed conditions with regard to age, residence, means, nationality and previous academic attainment.

Students are categorised according to their circumstances either as independent mature students, mature students dependent on parents or guardians, or as students other than mature students. In accordance with the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Act 1992, a mature student is defined as a candidate who is at least 23 years of age on the 1st January of the year of entry or re-entry to an approved course.

Where the applicant is not an independent mature student, the reckonable income to be determined for the purposes of the award of the maintenance grant is income from all sources of the candidate and his/her parents or guardians where applicable. The means test arrangements of the Student Maintenance Grant Schemes are long standing and are applied nationally. In the case of both the employed and self-employed gross income is assessed with certain specified social welfare and Health Service Executive payments excluded.

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