Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will review the qualifying payments for a grant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47254/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education made detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students. The target group of "those most in need" was defined in terms of the dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments, where the necessary conditions are fulfilled.

To qualify for the Special Rate of maintenance grant, an applicant must qualify for the ordinary maintenance grant in respect of the 2009/10 academic year. In addition, total reckonable income must not exceed a specified amount, which is €22,308 in the 2008 tax year. Finally, on the operative date, 31st December 2008 for the 2009/10 academic year, the reckonable income must include one of the eligible long-term Social Welfare payments prescribed under the scheme. The list of eligible payments is attached. However, from September 2010, as announced in the Budget, all new applicants who are in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance for all schemes and the VTOS allowances for those pursuing a PLC course will no longer be eligible for student support grants. The cost of the student service charge and any fees payable to colleges will continue to be met by the Exchequer on their behalf.

Students currently in receipt of the BTEA or VTOS allowances and the maintenance grant will continue to be eligible for both payments for the duration of their current course provided they meet the terms and conditions of the scheme.

LIST OF ELIGIBLE PAYMENTS

1. SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS

New Name Old Name

2. SOCIAL INSURANCE PAYMENTS

New Name Old Name

3. FAMILY INCOME SUPPLEMENT (FIS)

4. DESIGNATED PROGRAMMES

Back to Education Allowance (Second Level and Third Level Option)

Back to Work Allowance (Employees)

Back to Work Enterprise Allowance

Community Employment Scheme

Rural Social Scheme

FÁS Training Programmes, including Apprenticeships

Part time job incentive scheme

Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)

5. OTHERS

a) In receipt of payments under the Fáilte Ireland Skills Programme equivalent to a social welfare payment;

b) In receipt of payments under the FIT (Fastrack to IT) initiative equivalent to a social welfare payment;

c) Participants on a training course approved by a Government Department, State Agency or Area Partnership and who were in receipt of an eligible payment prior to progressing to the programme;

d) Grant aided employees in social economy enterprises;

e) In receipt of payments under the Senior Traveller Training Centre programmes.

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 347: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his plans to introduce changes to the processing of the higher education maintenance grant to ensure that applications are processed in a speedy and uniform manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47268/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is working closely with local authorities and VECs on a number of initiatives, some of which are already leading to administrative efficiencies and alleviating some of the pressures on awarding authorities. These initiatives, which will also enhance the level of service to students, include improvements to the grant application process, the provision of advance payments for student grants to all awarding authorities, and the migration of grant payments directly to students on a phased basis by way of electronic funds transfer.

In the context of the Programme of Legislative and Administrative Reform of student grants, I am assessing organisational options for the processing of grant applications in the longer run with a view to streamlining operations and achieving more effective administrative efficiencies. Possible options for a more significant aggregation of functions are now being explored in the context of budgetary considerations and the Government's overall programme of public service reform.