Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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280. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the distance from college for students to be considered eligible for the non-adjacent grant to cover a distance less than 45km (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40966/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Under Budget 2011, the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of student grant increased from 24 km to 45 km. The proposal to amend the distance to qualify for the higher non-adjacent rate to 45 km took into account a reasonable radius in which students could be expected to commute on a daily basis. There are no plans at present to revise the distance criteria. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for an applicant's grant awarding authority. Where an applicant is not satisfied with the decision of the grant awarding authority, he/she may submit an appeal to have the decision reviewed.

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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281. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons persons earning less than the income allowed for the special college grant rate are penalised and ineligible for that rate if they are not in receipt of a social welfare payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40979/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education made detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students. The target group of "those most in need" was defined in terms of the dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments, where the necessary conditions are fulfilled.

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.

It should be noted that Family Income Supplement (FIS) is a qualifying payment for the Special Rate. FIS is a weekly tax free social welfare payment for families, including one parent families, designed to provide extra financial support to employees who are on low pay and engaged in insurable employment. It is not proposed, at present, to change the current terms and conditions in respect of the special rates of maintenance grant.