Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 132: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will amend the eligibility criteria for student grant support to ensure that families and parents solely reliant on payments under the non-means-tested illness benefit are entitled to the full support including the top-up payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38592/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South 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 2010/11 academic year. In addition, total reckonable income must not exceed a specified amount, which is €22,703 in the 2009 tax year. Finally, on the operative date, 31st December 2009 for the 2010/11 academic year, the reckonable income must include one of the eligible long-term social welfare payments prescribed under the scheme.

Illness Benefit is considered to be a short-term payment and, therefore, it is not included as an eligible payment for the purposes of the special rates of maintenance grant.