Paul Kehoe
Question:385 Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Science when a decision will be made on an application for a grant in respect of a person (details supplied). [46729/09]
View answerTuesday, 15 December 2009
Questions (365)
Written answers
The organisation and management of student support schemes grants is a matter for individual Vocational Educational Committees and Local Authorities. These bodies seek to ensure that students get decisions on their grant applications and are paid as soon as possible. The decision on eligibility for student grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority — i.e. the Local Authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is required.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the relevant local authority or VEC. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by the assessing authority, and remains of the view that the body has not interpreted the schemes correctly in her/his case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to my Department. No appeal has been received by my Department to date from the candidate referred to by the Deputy.