asked the Minister for Education the reason she did not give advance notice of the new conditions under which VEC scholarships are awarded, as students sitting their leaving certificate examinations in 1983 and 1984 cannot now change from pass to honours level in order to be eligible for such scholarships.
Written Answers . - VEC Scholarships .
1138.
: The decision was taken by the Government in connection with the measures announced in the Financial Statement of the Minister for Finance on 9 February 1983. Such measures are not announced in advance of the Financial Statement.
There is no basis for the implication in the question that students are prevented from achieving the prescribed standard at the Leaving Certificate Examinations 1983 or 1984 on the grounds that the announcement was not made at an earlier date.