asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the hardship being endured by parents whose children have qualified for third level grants from the county council, VEC and ESF, because such grants have not been paid as yet; when such grants will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Third Level Grants.
211.
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 specimen higher education grants scheme issued by my Department to the local authorities each year contains a provision as follows: (b) "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 institutions concerned".
A similar provision is contained in the specimen vocational education committee scholarships 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. As I indicated in reply to Question 62 on Thursday, 6 November 1986, I am having the procedures for the award of grants/scholarships examined with a view to ameliorating any difficulties that may exist in the operation of the schemes.
Under the terms of the Department's middle-level technician programme, special training grants are paid to participants monthly, in arrears. Whilst certain delays have occurred, I understand that, aside from the participants in programmes operated by colleges under the auspices of the City of Dublin VEC, payments have been made in accordance with the terms of the scheme. I am informed that payments will be made by the City of Dublin VEC by the end of November or early December. In this context the Deputy will be aware that it is a matter for each VEC to order its priorities to ensure the early payments of the grants in question.