asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the concern of, and hardship endured by, grantaided pupils whether that be county council or VEC, because of the delay in payment of such grants some of which have not been paid to date; if she will ensure that such grants will be paid immediately and in future that they will be paid in the first month of each term, thus ensuring that all such pupils can continue their education; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Grants or Scholarships.
205.
The administration of the higher education grants and the VEC scholarships schemes have been statutorily entrusted to the local rating authorities and the vocational education committees respectively. The speciman higher education grants scheme issued by my Department to the local authorities each year contains a provision as follows:—
"Every effort will be made by the ...County Council-Corporation...to pay the maintenance element (if any) of a grant-holder's grant in three equal instalments, one as early as possible in each term, and the individual paying orders will be addressed to the grant-holders c/o the bursar's office of the university or other educational institution concerned".
A similar provision is contained in the specimen vocational education committee scholarship's scheme issued annually by the Department to each committee. It is a matter for each local authority and vocational education committee to apply these provisions in its functional area and I would be concerned if there was any undue delay in the payment of grants or scholarships to students.