asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the grave dissatisfaction among salary and wage earners in relation to the university grants scheme as operated through councils and county borough corporations and of the discrepancy between the guide scale for employees and for farmers; and if he will state when the scheme was last amended by his Department.

I refer the Deputy to the answer I gave in the House on 15th June, 1976, (Question No. 3) in relation to the maintenance element of higher education grants and the income limits applicable under the scheme.

The grants payable under the scheme were revised as from the beginning of the academic year 1975-76 when the maximum of the lecture fee element of the grant was increased from £172 to £215.