Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Feb 2000

Vol. 513 No. 6

Written Answers. - Maintenance Grants.

Brendan Howlin

Question:

448 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science the basis on which a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who is pursuing a three year leisure management degree course at Waterford IT has been refused maintenance funding on the basis that he is a repeat student, having pursued a two year science certificate course in Carlow Regional Technical College and a subsequent PLC course in Enniscorthy VEC; if this application will be reconsidered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3398/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I refer the Deputy to my reply of 1 February 2000 to his Parliamentary Question No. 321. As I indicated in the reply, the position is that, except in the well defined circumstances stated, a student can receive grant-aid for the duration of one ESF-aided course only. There are no plans to change the maintenance grant scheme for trainees on ESF-aided third level courses in this regard.