Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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242. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the qualifying criteria for the top-up grant for students (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39399/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant in the 2013/14 academic year as specified under the 2013 student grant scheme is as follows:

1. Student must qualify for the standard rate of grant.

2. Total reckonable income net of income disregards and Child Dependant Increase must not exceed €22,703.

3. As at 31st December, 2012, the reckonable income must include one of the eligible long-term social welfare payments prescribed in the Student Grant Scheme.

Jobseekers Allowance is considered to be a short-term payment unless it is held for 391 consecutive days at the 31st December 2012. Periods of Jobseekers Allowance, Jobseekers Benefit, Illness Benefit and Maternity Benefit may be combined for the purposes of meeting the 391 days, provided that a period of Jobseekers Allowance or Benefit comes directly before or directly after the period of Illness or Maternity Benefit. Whilst a student may not be eligible for the special rate of maintenance grant in his/her first year of study he/she may apply for the special rate in subsequent years of their study. It is not proposed to depart from the existing arrangements for the determination of the eligibility for the special rate of maintenance grant.