Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to introduce any measures to alleviate the financial pressures on mature students who will suffer the combined effect of the removal of the non-adjacent grant and the extension of the non-adjacent area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22815/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The economic circumstances of the country are such that I am not in a position to reverse or vary any of the changes to the student grant schemes introduced by the last Government and funding is not available to me for any new student support measures. However, students on particularly low incomes will continue to receive a "top-up" in the special rate of grant under the student grant scheme and students in exceptional financial circumstances can apply for assistance under the Student Assistance Fund. Information on the Fund is available through the access offices of third-level institutions. The access offices themselves will also continue to provide support and advice to students to enable them to continue with their studies.