Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who qualified for a student maintenance grant in each of the past five academic years detailed by the level of award and the awarding authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16085/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The numbers of students (both new and renewal) who received student grants (which may include maintenance or fees) from the academic year 2007/08 to 2011/12 are as follows:
2007/08 = 54,666

2008/09 = 57,261

2009/10 = 69,486

2010/11 = 71,532

2011/12 = 76,644

This data is compiled from information supplied to my Department by the 66 grant awarding authorites. In addition, the tables below detail the breakdown of students in receipt of a grant for the 2011/12 academic year by level of award and grant awarding authority. The data for the earlier years is not available in the format requested by the Deputy.

The Deputy will appreciate that the figures are not yet available in respect of the 2012/13 academic year.

2011/12 Student Grants by Local Authority and Level of Grant

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students enrolled in higher education; the number of grant applications received for the current academic year from students living in Wicklow to Student Universal Support Ireland, Wicklow VEC and Wicklow County Council; the number of successful applicants; the number of grants remaining to be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16086/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The number of students enrolled in higher education full-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses in HEA designated institutions in the 2011/12 academic year is some 162,786 students. Finalised data in relation to the 2012/13 academic year will not be available until late summer 2013 but provisional data as at the 1st November 2012 suggests that some 161,443 students were enrolled in higher education full-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses in HEA designated institutions at that point. This data has been provided to my Department by the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

The following table details the number of grant applications received in the 2012/13 academic year from students living in Wicklow by Student Universal Support Ireland, Wicklow VEC and Wicklow County Council, the number of awards and the number of students yet to be paid by the each of these awarding authorities. This data has been supplied to my Department by SUSI, Wicklow VEC and Wicklow County Council. The data supplied by SUSI is at point in time on the 16th April, 2013. The data supplied by Wicklow VEC and Wicklow County Council is as at close of business on the 5th April, 2013.

SUSI is continuing to make payments on a weekly basis to ensure students can get paid their grant as expediously as possible, once they have been awarded a grant.

SUSI Applications - Processing position 16/04/13

Wicklow County Council - Processing Position as at week ending 5/4/2013

Wicklow VEC - Processing Position as at week ending 5/4/2013

#This figure does not include payments to renewal students on level 6 and level 7 courses in the Institutes of Technology who are paid directly by the relevant institution.