Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 13 Oct 1992

Vol. 423 No. 4

Written Answers. - VEC Scholarship.

Eric J. Byrne

Question:

121 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Education if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 who applied for the vocational education committee scholarship/ESF Maintenance Grant for 1992-93 but was turned down as he did not have two honours in his Leaving Certificate which he sat in 1989; his views on the fact that this person who is 22 years old, cannot qualify for this grant at present but, if he interrupts his education and returns next year as a mature student will be eligible; and if he will amend the scheme to remove this anomaly.

Minister for Education (Mr. S. Brennan)

A requirement of the vocational education committee scholarship scheme is that a candidate who is not a mature student must have attained a Grade C or higher in higher level papers in two or more subjects in the leaving certificate examination. As the candidate referred to by the Deputy does not meet the specified academic attainments he is not eligible for the award of a scholarship under the terms of the vocational education committee scholarship scheme.

Under the scheme a mature candidate who has secured a place to pursue a full-time course in an approved institution is deemed to meet the academic attainments for the purposes of the scheme. The eligibility criteria for the award of a scholarship are subject to regular review and are currently under review in the context of developing the 1993 vocational education committee scholarship scheme.