Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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262. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which qualification income guidelines affect eligibility for a higher education grant in the case of a person (details suppled) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36847/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority.

The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form, including those relating to residency, nationality, academic attainment and means it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would qualify for a grant.

Budget 2013 provided for a 3% reduction in grant income thresholds in 2013 grant scheme. The measure applies to both new and renewal applications. This reduction in thresholds does not apply to the threshold for the special rate of grant and the threshold for the €2,000 contribution at postgraduate level which remains at €31,500 for the 2013/14 academic year.

The income limits for grant eligibility are increased relative to the number of students in a family applying for a grant.