Thank you for the opportunity to raise this very important issue. A few weeks ago I met a retired civil servant and his wife who have seven children, some still at school and university. They said it was difficult to survive but that they kept their bills at bay by making weekly instalment payments. They described their embarrassment and humiliation when their child was denied his third level grant aid by Westmeath County Council until service charges were paid up to date. They borrowed the money to pay the charges so that their child could receive a grant and continue the university course.
Another case brought to my attention within the past few days concerns a businessman going through very difficult times who has two sons at university. He applied for and was granted grant aid for both his sons. One has received his payment, but his brother has had his cheque withheld pending his father's paying a debt for charges to Westmeath County Council.
These are genuine cases and I know both families personally. Naturally they would prefer to remain anonymous. I can appreciate that Westmeath County Council must collect charges legally due to them. It is their business how they go about it.
We must not become so obsessed with fiscal rectitude that we are prepared to withhold grant aid from a student. This is money awarded to him from the Department of Education, not to his parents, and the money is being denied to him through no fault of his own. Must he carry the misfortune and poverty of his parents on his shoulders? Must his career be forfeited because of the council's inability to collect their dues? What has happened to our marvellous ideas of cherishing all our children equally, equality in education, equality of opportunity?
Those are just two examples of students striving for an education to enable them to take their place in society and to enable them to get jobs. Their futures are put in jeopardy by the action of Westmeath County Council and by the inaction of the Department of Education.
I notice that the Junior Minister at the Department of Education is not present in the House this evening and this is disappointing but I know the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Calleary, will respond in a worthwhile fashion.
Did the Minister for Education and her Department authorise this move by Westmeath County Council? Does she condone it? Are there other county councils who enforce the same injustice on our students? What steps do the Department and the Minister propose to take to outlaw this denial of educational opportunity to our young people? I look forward to the Minister's response.
