Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he has observed the serious negative impact on the educational prospect of students already at third level whose higher education grants have been reduced by his predecessor with particular reference to non-adjacent support and whose parents find themselves in an impossible position resulting in serious hardship or withdrawal of their children from third level education thereby seriously restricting their ability to seek employment in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35148/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the negative impact on students at third level arising from budgetary cutbacks put in place by his predecessor and resulting in some situations of college authorities having to introduce food vouchers in order to provide for the welfare of their students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35149/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has identified the number of students who might find themselves forced out of third level education as a result of austerity measures introduced by his predecessor with particular reference to those whose parents are on low or fixed incomes whether employed or unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35154/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 123, 124 and 129 together.

I am aware of the impact of changes to the student grant scheme on students, however, as the previous Government had factored in the savings from these changes to the public expenditure programme for 2011, I regret that I am not in a position to reverse or vary them.

The Deputy will be aware that, while a qualifying student may receive a lower rate of grant for the 2011/12 academic year, they will not lose grant assistance and students whose parents are on particularly low incomes will also receive a top-up in the special rate of grant. Students qualifying for a grant will also have their fees and/or student service charge paid on their behalf. In addition, 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.