Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 100: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills in the context of the ongoing public debate regarding third level registration fees, if she will acknowledge the huge accommodation costs imposed on rural families with children studying at third level, for example, a family from the north west with three students at university in Dublin and Galway face accommodation costs of up to €15,000 per annum whereas families who live in the university or college towns and cities do not incur such costs; if her review of third level funding will take these factors into account; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42243/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge that the cost of attending higher education is an important factor for a great number of students and their families. However the Deputy will appreciate that some 43% of all undergraduate students received financial support under my Department's student grant schemes in the 2009/2010 academic year and this number is likely to rise further this year. Under the student grant schemes, students are eligible for grants at either what is known as an adjacent or a non-adjacent rate.

The adjacent rate of grant, which ranges from €330 to €2,545 depending on individual circumstances, is payable where a student's normal residence is 24 Kilometres or less from the college which he/she is attending. The non-adjacent rate of grant, which ranges from €810 to €6,355 again, depending on individual circumstances, is payable in all other cases. Students in need of extra help due to particular financial circumstances may apply to the Access Officer in their institution for support from the Student Assistance Fund.

The Government is committed to ensuring that opportunities to engage in higher education continue to be made available to potential learners and that access to higher education will continue to be determined by a student's ability and not their financial circumstances. A key challenge for the development of the sector will be in enabling it to meet future demand on a sustainable funding basis, without compromising on quality. A widening of the funding base for the sector, to reduce the relatively high level of dependence on the Exchequer, is one of the issues to be considered in that context.