Crucial reforms of student grants is a welcome relief

A major reform in third-level maintenance grant rules will allow students qualify for State financial support to pay their way through college on the basis of their own, rather than their parents’, income. Published this week by Minister for Education Mary Hanafin, the Student Support Bill will permit students under 23 and living away from home to be independently assessed for the purposes of a grant. Currently parental income is used to as the measure to decide whether a student is entitled to a grant. This has come under criticism for not taking into account that some people are financially before they are 23.

It is hoped the changes will help broaden access to college and encourage students from less well-off families to pursue third-level studies. The bill will provide a single statutory basis for all student grants, replacing four different schemes currently operated by local authorities and VECs. The vocational educational committee network will be the single administrative agency.
Speaking this week Minister Hanafin said "The development of a unified system of student support will greatly assist those embarking on higher and further education who need financial support and the publication of this Bill marks an important milestone in the process".
There is also a provision to allow for fraudulent claims to be pursued, resulting in heavy fines.
Over 56,000 students benefit from the third-level maintenance grants, and the maximum rate of ordinary grant is €3,420, with up to €6,690 for the 12,500 most financially hard-pressed cases.

This Bill has been welcomed by many individuals including NUIG Student President James Hope: "We welcome any measure which simplifies the awarding of grants. Over 50,000 students depend on these grant payments and it puts extreme financial pressure on students when grants come in late, as is too often the case. The ideal solution would be to centralise the grants... but in the short term, the student support bill is a positive step in the right direction."