asked the Minister for Education whether, in view of the differing levels of public transport in the country, she will introduce a review procedure for the operation of the 15 mile rule in the higher education grants scheme and vocational education committee scholarship schemes as suggested by the Union of Students in Ireland to allow students in cases of hardship to obtain the higher living at college grant.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Higher Education Grants Scheme.
11.
In accordance with the provisions of the higher education grants scheme and of the VEC scholarships scheme, the lower adjacent rate of the maintenance element of grant (where the maintenance element is payable) is applied in the case of every candidate whose normal family residence is within 15 miles of the university or other institution of higher education which he/she is attending, and in the case of a candidate who could reasonably be expected, in the light of distance and local public transport services, to travel daily between his/her home and such university or other institution of higher education. The 15 mile rule is considered reasonable and no alteration to it is proposed. I do not, therefore, propose to introduce a review procedure for this issue.
The means test provision of the higher education grants and VEC scholarships schemes ensures that students most in need financially receive the higher rates of grants or scholarships.
Would the Minister accept that the situation could be improved for a number of students if there were some kind of appeal mechanism whereby young people who felt that this rule militated against them, for one geographic reason or another, might be in a position to appeal their case to somebody? This appeal system should be administered locally within the colleges in the interests of fair play and justice.
The local authority are the deciders. It is very much a devolved operation. They decide whether the adjacent or non-adjacent rate should be applied in individual cases. The local authority are the body on the ground who are most aware of local circumstances.
As the rule stands they have no discretion whatever. They use a compass to draw a 15-mile line around a certain college. The layout of the terrain does not matter. It does not matter whether it crosses a national primary route or the highest mountain in Ireland. Young applicants have to comply with the rule.
I am sure the highest mountain is in Cork, as it is the biggest county.
No, it is in Kerry.
The local authority decide whether it is the adjacent or non-adjacent rate which should be applied in each case. I would not regard the local authorities as magisterial bodies who do not engage in any discussions. Any local authority personnel I know are most accessible and most amenable to ideas put to them. They are our agents in this matter and they decide which rate should be applied in each case.