asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that mature students studying for vocational degree courses in UCD and other institutes of third-level education are not eligible for grants from his Department which are administered by the local authority if their admission to that institute has not involved them meeting its points requirements and that as a consequence they are suffering financial hardship by being technically debarred from consideration for such grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Education Grants.
271.
Higher education grants are made available under schemes administered by county council and county borough councils. These schemes provide that in order to qualify for a higher education grant, an applicant must, inter alia, have obtained prescribed successes at the leaving certificate examination. Where an applicant who obtains such successes is admitted to a course in a university college he may be paid a grant, subject to compliance with the terms of the scheme, irrespective of whether or not he was admitted to the course by way of competition based on the points system. The question of devising some scheme of financial assistance appropriate to the circumstances of mature students is under examination in my Department.
272.
asked the Minister for Education if he will, in conjunction with the Minister for Labour, investigate the possibility of a portion of the European Social Fund moneys which are available for adult retraining being allocated to his Department for the purposes of providing grants for mature students who are eligible in terms of income limits for such a grant but who because of the nature of the system of entry into third level institutions do not qualify in terms of leaving certificate standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Applicants for grants under the European Social Fund Training Grants Scheme for the purpose of the Middle Level Technician Programme must be first time job seekers and must not be more than 25 years of age. While no means test applies in connection with the scheme, it is unlikely that many mature students would be able to satisfy the other conditions. It should also be pointed out that university courses are not eligible for the ESF grants.
I am satisfied that it is necessary to specify minimum academic standards for those courses which are eligible (in RTCs and Colleges of Technology) and that the standards which are specified at present are appropriate and reasonable.