Vol. 472 No. 3
168 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Education if she will award a grant to a person (details supplied) in County Cork in view of the fact that she is living independently away from home and has no means to support herself. [23146/96]
I understand from the City of Cork Vocational Education Committee, the body entrusted with the administration of the European Social Fund, ESF aided, maintenance grant scheme, that the student referred to by the Deputy was born in 1978. The ESF maintenance grant scheme defines a mature student to be a person of not less than 23 years of age on the first day of January in the year of entry to a third level institution.
The student in question cannot, therefore, be considered as a mature student. However, she may be assessed for an ESF maintenance grant as a dependent student. If she wishes to be so assessed, she should contact the City of Cork vocational education committee.
