Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 182: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science if she will reverse the decision to remove the maintenance element of the higher education grant for first-time applicants in receipt of the back to education allowance; the projected savings as a result of this change; the procedure that will be put in place to cater for pending applications within the Department of Social Affairs at the time of registration for college courses when no determination can be made on their higher education grant application and registration fees have to be paid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16129/10]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 183: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science the amount of money she expects to save annually from the abolition of the maintenance grant for people on back to education allowance in budget 2010; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that mature students and marginalised groups will suffer disproportionately; if she will consider reversing these cuts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16150/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 182 and 183 together.

The Deputy will be aware that the current difficult economic circumstances have necessitated tough choices to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In these circumstances, from September 2010, as announced in the Budget, all new applicants who are in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA), and the VTOS allowances for those pursuing PLC courses, will be ineligible for student maintenance grants. The cost of the student services charge and any fees payable to colleges will continue to be met for eligible students 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 continue to meet the terms and conditions of the relevant grant schemes. Students progressing to a new course with effect from 2010/11 will no longer be eligible for student maintenance grants but can apply for assistance towards the cost of the student services charge and any fees payable. It was decided to discontinue the practice of allowing students to hold both the BTEA or VTOS allowance and a student maintenance grant simultaneously as this represents a duplication of income support payments. This measure was recommended in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes.

The estimated saving for the 2010 financial year was €4m with a full financial year saving of some €35m in 2012. Although BTEA students progressing to a new course or new applicants who are in receipt of the BTEA will no longer be able to hold the maintenance portion of the student grant in addition to the BTEA, they may still submit a student grant application to establish entitlement to payment of the student service charge or tuition fees from my Department. Where a student has indicated on the application form that they have applied for the BTEA, the application will be processed as normal and the registration fee and tuition fees (where applicable) will be paid to eligible students. The maintenance portion of the grant will be held until such time as the student can confirm that they have received a decision from the Department of Social Protection in relation to the BTEA. Where a student has indicated that they are currently on the BTEA and are progressing new course their application will be assessed to establish their eligibility for the student service charge and tuition fees. The decision on eligibility for the BTEA is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs.

Students who qualify for maintenance grants will continue to receive substantial grant funding, together with full support for payment of the student service charge. Those on particularly low incomes will also continue to receive a "top-up" in the special rate of maintenance grant. Under the student grant schemes a mature candidate, if approved, is automatically provided with the higher non-adjacent rate of maintenance which, this year, ranges from €810 to €6,355 dependent on individual circumstances. The entitlement to the non-adjacent rate applies regardless of how far the college is from the mature candidates residence and whether or not the candidate is dependent on or independent of his/her parent(s) or guardian(s).

The NDP funded 'Third Level Access Measure' is also supporting the participation of mature students in higher education, in particular those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The Student Assistance Fund is available in all recurrently funded higher education institutions. Mature students who have additional needs arising due to a disability or learning difficulty can make an application to the Fund for Students with Disabilities. Applications for support can be made via the access or disability service in the institution.

Some €5m will continue to be made available through the access offices of third-level institutions to assist students in exceptional financial need through the Student Assistance Fund. The access offices themselves will also continue to provide support and advice to mature students to enable them to continue with their studies. The objective of the fund is to assist students in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise, due to their financial circumstances, be unable to continue their third level studies. Information on the fund is available from the access officer at a candidate's college.

The Fund for Students with Disabilities will provide funding in the sum of €10 million in the 2010 financial year to both further and higher education institutions for the provision of services and supports for full-time students (including mature students) with disabilities. The fund is managed by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of my Department and is funded under the National Development Plan 2007-2013, with assistance from the European Social Fund.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 184: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science the changes, if any, to entitlements for mature students; if a person currently receiving the back to education allowance and third level grant as a mature student on a Further Education and Training Awards Council level 5 course may retain these payments when upgrading to a course in Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology from Autumn 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16165/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Students currently in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) and the maintenance grant will continue to be eligible for both payments for the duration of their current course provided they continue to meet the terms and conditions of the relevant grant schemes.

Students in receipt of BTEA who are entering or progressing to a new course with effect from 2010/11 will no longer be eligible for student maintenance grants but can apply for assistance towards the cost of the student services charge and any fees payable. A student progressing from a PLC course to a third-level course is progressing to a new course and therefore would not be eligible to hold the BTEA and maintenance grant simultaneously.