Higher Education Grants

Tuesday, 7 December 2010

Questions (35)

Mary Wallace

Question:

36 Deputy Mary Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding processing of third level grant applicants on a county and agency basis; the steps she is taking to expedite the remaining files for processing and the other measures that can be taken to assist third level students in relation to the grant payments after the grant has been awarded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46351/10]

View answer

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan)

The process of assessing and paying third level or further education grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. I am aware that the timing of payment varies between the 66 awarding authorities depending on a number of variables including the volume of applications received, staffing resources and whether or not properly completed application forms have been submitted. Work prioritisation across different functions, and how available staff are deployed to execute those functions are matters for the management of each VEC and local authority concerned.

This year's student grant schemes include a number of significant administrative and service improvements aimed at addressing the issue of delay, which include an initial roll-out of a new online grant application system. The new system, introduced in both Irish and English, is already operating in 11 grant awarding authorities. Building on this initial phase for the current academic year, the ultimate aim will be to make it available to all applicants nationally.

Key among the other improvements introduced are a complete overhaul of the grant application form, streamlined administrative processes, advance payments to awarding authorities and publication of the grant schemes some two months earlier than last year.

The Student Support Bill, which will provide for a fundamental and radical restructuring of the whole student grants administration function and provide for a single unified scheme is now listed to be taken at Report stage on 16 December 2010.

The table details the number of new student grant applications received, awarded, refused, on-going, cancelled, yet to be processed, transferred and the number paid by the local authorities and Vocational Educational Committees for the 2010/11 academic year up to the week ended 3 December 2010 unless otherwise stated. The information has been supplied to my Department by the local authorities and the Vocational Education Committees.

My Department is in constant contact with grant awarding authorities to monitor the situation in relation to the processing and payment of student grants. It recently wrote, on my behalf, to the heads of the grant awarding authorities to inform them that I am anxious to ensure that remaining applicants receive decisions on their grant applications as soon as possible and requesting their co-operation in prioritising this work in their Councils/Committees.

Local Authorities — Processing Position as at week ending 3.12.10

Local Authorities	Number of New Applications	Awarded	Refused	Ongoing/ Further Information or Documentation Requested	Cancelled/ Withdrawn	Yet to be processed	Transferred	Paid
Carlow Co. Council	233	158	25	40	4	0	6	151
Cavan Co. Council	293	174	26	53	7	17	16	174
Clare Co. Council	682	375	27	179	0	79	22	253
Cork City Council	775	267	69	198	6	137	98	208
Cork Co. Council	1,608	215	166	452	22	640	113	179
Donegal Co. Council	877	454	112	180	31	0	100	300
Dublin City Council	2,457	976	331	283	58	418	391	748
Dún/Rath Co. Council	827	254	101	250	14	111	97	197
South Dublin Council	863	292	93	206	14	123	135	213
Fingal Co. Council	996	241	167	173	0	311	104	101
Galway Co. Council	2,504	793	106	834	44	543	184	793
Kerry Co. Council	703	438	67	126	13	0	59	370
Kildare Co. Council	1,052	295	53	195	23	271	215	295
Kilkenny Co. Council	432	301	40	41	18	0	32	235
Laois Co. Council	396	257	41	23	17	5	53	257
Leitrim Co. Council	225	139	15	37	1	0	33	123
Limerick Co. Council	724	169	59	150	17	264	65	91
Limerick City Council	283	151	15	85	2	11	19	0
Longford Co. Council	207	128	18	32	8	0	21	112
Louth Co. Council	602	169	32	141	9	197	54	49
Mayo Co. Council	642	388	45	45	27	20	117	247
Meath Co. Council	735	195	118	218	4	200	0	147
Monaghan Co. Council	323	188	38	34	5	0	58	166
Offaly Co. Council	229	144	29	15	9	12	20	140
Roscommon Co.Council	481	321	38	45	21	0	56	321
Sligo Co. Council	301	164	22	66	18	0	31	137
Tipperary (NR) Council	312	197	21	51	13	10	20	159

Local Authorities — Processing Position as at week ending 3.12.10 —continued

Local Authorities	Number of New Applications	Awarded	Refused	Ongoing/ Further Information or Documentation Requested	Cancelled/ Withdrawn	Yet to be processed	Transferred	Paid
Tipperary (SR) Council	451	238	44	50	1	79	39	216
Waterford City Council	174	81	27	42	7	0	17	72
Waterford Co. Council	537	346	23	0			11	317
Westmeath Co. Council	390	260	36	58	8	0	28	260
Wexford Co. Council	514	270	83	94	21	6	40	215
Wicklow Co. Council	776	326	53	131	10	138	118	159

VECs — Processing Position as at week ending 3.12.10

VECs	Number of New Applications	Awarded	Refused	Ongoing / Further Information or Documentation Requested	Cancelled / Withdrawn	Yet to be processed	Transferred	Paid
Co. Carlow VEC	337	312	15	6	0	2	2	132
Co. Cavan VEC	1,129	636	165	238	22	44	24	500
Co. Clare VEC	1,230	631	141	331	47	0	80	238
Co. Cork VEC	2,669	336	159	1,325	46	715	88	200
City of Cork VEC	1,130	338	195	347	24	35	191	137
Co. Donegal VEC	1,990	1,016	197	471	198	10	98	840
City of Dublin VEC	2,684	766	459	1,033	54	62	310	313
Co. Dublin VEC	2,893	429	272	1,133	41	737	281	154
Dun Laoghaire VEC	375	147	60	88	4	2	74	118
City of Galway VEC	627	421	57	71	8	0	70	314
Co. Galway VEC	1,921	805	118	245	40	558	155	194
Co. Kerry VEC	1,816	1,084	178	361	113	7	73	448
Co. Kildare VEC	1,310	418	145	549	20	55	123	0

VECs — Processing Position as at week ending 3.12.10

VECs	Number of New Applications	Awarded	Refused	Ongoing / Further Information or Documentation Requested	Cancelled / Withdrawn	Yet to be processed	Transferred	Paid
Co. Kilkenny VEC	848	418	102	67	0	201	60	131
Co. Laois VEC	709	298	75	178	15	79	64	88
Co. Leitrim VEC	403	235	24	61	9	36	38	72
City of Limerick VEC	572	329	79	60	84	20	0	0
Co. Limerick VEC	996	469	127	286	29	26	59	150
Co. Longford VEC	718	417	88	93	67	0	53	248
Co. Louth VEC	1,133	658	148	120	6	107	94	232
Co. Mayo VEC	1,538	581	18	0	31	908	0	175
Co. Meath VEC	1,307	518	154	358	58	157	62	142
Co. Monaghan VEC	847	453	103	0	40	171	80	183
Co. Offaly VEC	749	457	100	143	24	5	20	112
Co. Roscommon VEC	810	561	102	82	18	0	47	266
Co. Sligo VEC	944	383	49	391	37	40	44	203
Co. Tipperary NR VEC	929	425	119	232	46	70	37	202
Co. Tipperary SR VEC	756	597	45	49	30	0	35	215
Co. Waterford VEC	510	311	66	133	0	0	0	113
City of Waterford VEC	573	133	45	112	13	243	27	126
Co. Westmeath VEC	931	508	133	186	23	0	81	188
Co. Wexford VEC	1,768	307	215	803	19	249	175	372
Co. Wicklow VEC	1,038	417	103	218	22	161	117	116

Information from the following Local Authorities refers to week ending 29. 10.10 Wicklow

Information from the following Local Authorities refers to week ending 5. 11.10 Waterford County incomplete

Information from the following Local Authorities refers to week ending 19 11.10 Louth

Information from the following Local Authorities refers to week ending 26. 11.10 Westmeath

Information from the following VEC's refers to week ending 5. 11.10 Wexford

Information from the following VEC's refers to week ending 26. 11.10 Tipperary SR, Tipperary NR, City of Limerick, Mayo

Information from the following VEC's refers to week ending 19.11.10 Laois

Information from the following VEC's refers to week ending 12.11.10 Meath

This information has been supplied to the Department by the local authorities and the Vocational Education Committees.