Vol. 344 No. 9
asked the Minister for Education when the proposed cut of 60 per cent in the European Social Fund grant to students at regional technical colleges is to be applied; if she is aware that this cut will affect up to six in every ten students at most of the colleges; and how a decision to apply the cut only to students who live within a radius of 15 miles of their college can be reconciled with the stated objective of applying the cut to students who reside at home.
92.
asked the Minister for Education the regulations which now apply to the European Social Fund grants in the technological sector for students attending such courses; and the amount of money being made available from this fund and from her Department for 1983.
93.
asked the Minister for Education the savings that it is expected will be made as a result of the decision to differentiate the maintenance element under the ESF grants scheme on the same basis as grants under the higher education grants scheme.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 91, 92, and 93 together. The general conditions attaching to the European Social Fund training grants scheme are set out in a note for applicants, a copy of which is being made available for inclusion in the Official Report.
Candidates for the grants must be first-time job seekers who are registered with the National Manpower Service and must not be more than 25 years of age. If successful, they are awarded grants to cover the cost of maintenance and tuition fees.
The estimated cost of the scheme to the Department of the 1982-83 academic year is £4.36 million of which 55 per cent, may be recouped from the European Social Fund in due course.
The amount to be recouped from the Social Fund includes the cost of grants to individual students who attend the specified courses. As from 1 September, 1983, the maintenance element of the grant payable to the individual student will be differentiated on the same residential basis as applies in the case of VEC scholarships and grants under the Higher Education Grants Schemes.
The total amount of the grants to students in respect of which recoupment will be claimed from the Social Fund will not be finally known until the necessary information is furnished by the VECs concerned in due course. An estimate of saving in 1983 from the arrangement to bring the grants under the European Social Fund Scheme into line with other third level grants was given as £0.085 million in the Principal Features of the Budget presented to Dáil Éireann on Wednesday, 9 February 1983.
Following are notes referred to:
SPECIAL TRAINING PROGRAMME 1982/83 NOTES FOR APPLICANTS
1. Applicants must be at least 16½ years and not older than 25 years on 1 October 1982.
2. Applicants may be required to take a suitability test and to attend an interview.
Suitability tests will be held in September unless otherwise notified. Applicants required to undertake this test will be notified during the week preceding the testing. Those applicants who are successful in the test will be called to interview. Programmes will, in most instances, commence Monday 22nd September.
3. Applicants may only apply to the institution concerned for the programmes proposed by that institution. (Please refer to the appropriate newspaper advertisement). While every effort will be made to run the programmes advertised, circumstances may arise which will not permit the running of some of the proposed programmes.
4. Applicants must complete:
(a) The National Manpower Service Job Seekers Card.
(b) The Application Form for the Special Training Programmes.
(c) Any documents or forms required by the individual college.
(a) and (b) will be used for selection purposes only.
5. In the event of the Leaving Certificate 1982 results not being published in sufficient time to allow applicants to meet the closing date for applications, applicants awaiting those results should return the Job Seekers Card by the closing date and the application form immediately after the Leaving Certificate results have been obtained.
6. Trainees will not be required to pay tuition fees. A flat rate grant of £27.77 per week will be paid only during attendance at the institution (including Christmas and Easter breaks). For one year courses the grant will be for 36 weeks and for two year courses for 36 weeks in each of the two years.
7. Grants will only be awarded at the start of a one- or two-year course, and not later than four weeks from the commencement of the course.
8. Trainees will be responsible for arranging their own accommodation etc. The authorities of the institution running the programmes will, however, assist where possible. There is no special or separate grant for board, lodgings, travel etc.
9. Trainees will be subject to the normal disciplines of the institutions running the programmes and must provide themselves with such text books, equipment, etc. as required and to pay such deposits or bonds as may be required by the authorities of the institution.
10. Trainees who are unpunctual or irregular in their attendance will have their grants reduced. A grant may be discontinued in the case of a trainee whose record in this regard is deemed unsatisfactory. A grant may not be paid for a period of absence from training due to illness.
11. Trainees will be required to undergo such tests as may be required from time to time. Trainees who do not show sufficient progress in their training may be dismissed from the programme.
12. Trainees who successfully complete the programme will be awarded appropriate certificates.
