Local Fianna Fáil County Councillor James Carroll has welcomed the confirmation that the income limit to qualify for the student maintenance grant has been increased.

This will lead to more students in Louth being awarded the grant for the coming college year, according to Cllr Carroll, who is a new member of Louth’s VEC and who is a former President of UCD Students’ Union.

“The income limit to qualify for the full standard rate maintenance grant and payment of the student services charge where there are fewer than four dependent children in a family has been increased from €39,760 to €41,110.”

“Parents or guardians with fewer than four dependent children can earn up to €51,380 without having to pay the student services charge which this year will be up to €1,500 depending on the third-level institution.”

“This top income threshold of €51,380 has been increased from €49,690 last year.”

“The changes in the income thresholds announced by my colleague the Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe TD, are being introduced in order to ensure that students from families on low to middle incomes will continue to get financial help from the Government in covering the costs of third-level education.”

“There have been changes in the average industrial wage in recent years and it is only right that the grant is adjusted accordingly to ensure that it still applies to the families that need it most.”

“The annual income threshold for students getting the higher special rate of maintenance grant is being increased from €20,147 to €22,308 in line with the relevant social welfare comparators. This is to bring the payment into line with increases in social welfare.”

“So students from families on the lowest incomes will continue to qualify for maximum rates of grant.  Almost two out of five third level students are now getting some sort of financial support from the Government for third level education. It is so important that we continue to invest in our young people and their education. Ireland has one of the best educated workforces in the world and that continues to attract foreign investors here,” Cllr Carroll concluded.

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Additional notes:

Minister O’Keeffe has also announced a number of further changes to grant eligibility will be introduced for the 2010/11 academic year. Some social welfare allowances will be included as income in assessing eligibility for student grants from next year and the income tax adjustment for farm stock relief will be disregarded in the calculation of income for means-testing.”

Students will have to be living in Ireland for three out of the past five years, instead of one year as it currently stands, and the duration of the break in studies required for re-entry as an independently assessed mature student will be increased from one year to three years.

The increase in threshold being brought in this year and the changes announced for next year are being introduced to ensure that there is better equality. It is more important that ever now that the Government focuses the country’s resources at the people who need them most.

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