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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Mar 2003

Vol. 562 No. 4

Written Answers - Higher Education Grants.

Seymour Crawford

Question:

247 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Education and Science further to correspondence to him on behalf of a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan, if this person's application for financial assistance or a maintenance grant be reconsidered and dealt with in the same way as has been the experience of others involved in the same course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6283/03]

My Department funds three means-tested maintenance grant schemes for third level education students in respect of attendance on approved courses in approved third level institutions and one maintenance grant scheme in respect of students attending approved post leaving certificate courses in approved PLC centres: the higher education grants scheme; the vocational education committees' scholarship scheme, the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees and the maintenance grant scheme for students attending post-leaving certificate courses.

Under the terms of the maintenance grants scheme for post-leaving certificate courses 2002, grants are available to eligible candidates who are entering approved PLC courses for the first time in the 2002-03 academic year. Candidates are ineligible if they already hold a FETAC 2 or FETAC 3 qualification or a third level qualification at national certificate, national diploma, degree, postgraduate or equivalent level. However, notwithstanding this condition, candidates who already hold a FETAC level 2 qualification and are now pursuing a course that offers progression may be deemed eligible for grant aid.

The candidate, to whom the Deputy refers, already holds a higher national diploma qualification. As outlined, students who already hold a third level qualification are ineligible for grant assistance under this scheme. It is not open to me or my Department to depart from the terms of the scheme in individual cases.

With regard to the course in question, my Department will be in communication with the vocational education committees to ensure that the terms and conditions of the maintenance grants scheme for students attending post-leaving certificate courses are correctly applied.

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