The third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees (TLT scheme) administered by the vocational education committees, under the aegis of my Department, provides means tested maintenance grants to eligible students attending approved third level courses in the institutes of technology. The TLT scheme allows for the payment of registration fees up to €396 for those students who qualify for a maintenance grant by reference to the prescribed upper income limits. The TLT maintenance grants scheme, 2001, which issued to the vocational education committees on 9 July 2001 did not contain any changes in relation to the provision for the payment of the student registration fee.
However, a letter, which issued on the same date and which listed the amendments to all four maintenance grant schemes operated under the aegis of my Department, included, by mistake, a reference to an amendment to the TLT scheme to provide for the payment of a student registration examination fee, subject to prescribed upper income limits, where candidates did not qualify for a maintenance grant. Department officials subsequently contacted each VEC to clarify the position, to rectify the error in the letter and to ensure that the terms of the TLT scheme, as issued, were being implemented consistently. Subsequently a circular letter also issued to the vocational education committees advising them in the matter. Each year, the three third level maintenance grants schemes and the post Leaving Certificate maintenance grant scheme are reviewed by my Department and revised as necessary.
