Vol. 403 No. 6
73 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education the reason for the delay in payment of European Social Fund grants to students in several third level colleges; and whether she has made any provision to deal with cases of hardship arising from this delay.
Under the terms of the Department's European Social Fund training grants scheme, grants are paid to participants, monthly in arrears. The scheme operates in vocational education committees third level colleges and payment of grant is a matter in the first instance for the vocational education committee concerned whose responsibility it is to ensure prompt payment. My Department wrote to each of the relevant vocational education committees in October reminding them of the necessity to avoid late payments. No instances of delay have been brought to my attention.
