Michael D. Higgins
Question:287 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the decision by his Department to refuse a grant application by a person (details supplied in County Galway. [10395/01]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
My Department understands the student to whom the Deputy refers is attending a diploma course at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology and has been refused a maintenance grant by City of Galway VEC, under the terms of the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees.
The third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees is administered by the vocational education committees under the aegis of my Department. The scheme applies to those who require higher level initial education and training to enhance their employment prospects in line with the Government's sectoral employment priorities and who are entering approved middle level technician or higher technical and business skills courses for the first time.
Under the terms of the scheme maintenance grants are not payable to students who have completed more than the first year of a degree level course. As the student to whom the Deputy refers has already completed more than one year of a degree course at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology he is ineligible for the award of a maintenance grant for his diploma course.
The schemes of student support are of general application and, accordingly, it is not open to me to make exceptions in individual cases.