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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 16 Dec 1981

Vol. 331 No. 11

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - University Grants.

11.

asked the Minister for Education the reason for the difference in the value of University grants being paid to students from Naas, County Kildare, who attend different colleges in the Dublin-Kildare area.

The relevant extract from the clause dealing with the value of grants in the County Kildare Higher Education Grants Scheme for 1981 reads as follows:

The annual value of a full grant under this scheme shall be lecture fee, not exceeding £592, plus £400 in respect of maintenance and other expenses in the case of a candidate (i) whose normal family residence is in or adjacent to a university town, or (ii) whose course is provided in an educational institution adjacent to his normal family residence. In other cases, the annual value of a full grant shall be lecture fee, not exceeding £592, plus £1,000 in respect of maintenance and other expenses. In the case of the lecture fee the upper limit of £592 may be exceeded to the extent necessary to cover the total lecture fees payable in certain years of the degree courses in the medical, veterinary and dental faculties in the colleges of the National University of Ireland and in Trinity College, Dublin.

The Kildare County Council shall decide (i) whether a candidate's normal family residence is in or adjacent to a university town, or (ii) whether the candidate's course is provided in an educational institution adjacent to his/her normal family residence, in the light of distance and local public transport services. The lower rate of grant shall be applied in the case of every candidate who could reasonably be expected to travel daily between his home and college and in the case of every candidate whose home is within 15 miles of the college or other educational institution at which he/she is pursuing his/her course of study.

It is the responsibility of the county council to determine the value of the grant in each case in accordance with the terms of the published scheme. I have no reason to consider that the grants being awarded to individual students are not being determined by Kildare County Council with due regard to all the relevant circumstances.

If the Deputy feels that any individual case is not receiving sympathetic treatment perhaps he would care to take the issue up with County Kildare County Council. Alternatively, if he furnishes me with details privately I will look into the matter on his behalf.

Does the Minister think it extraordinary that a student from Kildare attending Belfield gets £600 more than a student attending Trinity College and that a pupil who is even nearer to Maynooth University and who finds it difficult to commute would also qualify for the higher grant? does he not think this is open to odious comparisons? Can he assure me that if it is interpreted by Kildare County Council, as they were quite prepared to interpret it but feared the wrath of the Department, that all students attending a Dublin university should be classified in the same bracket and get the higher rate of grant, his Department will agree with that interpretation? Does he not feel this decision can be classified as very discriminatory? Viewed by the eyes of a knight involved in the crusades, does he not think this is a crusade at which he could tilt his lance?

First of all, my Department do not have wrath and I do not have a lance——

Would the Minister set his visor at it?

I quoted from the Higher Education Grants Scheme adopted by the county council. It is made clear that the county council shall decide that if the candidate's normal family residence is in or adjacent to a university town in the light of distance, because of public transport, the candidate would not qualify for the higher rate of grant. Presumably, the local authority, in making a decision of this nature, would take into account whether a student might have to stay away from home in digs or lodgings, whereas a student attending some other institution, because of the availability of public transport, might be able to attend the institution more easily and return home each evening. I emphasise that it is a matter for the local authority to make a decision. I accept the basis of the Deputy's contention that often it can be very puzzling how a decision is taken in relation to one student as against another whether the higher or lower rate should apply. If any Deputy has a case or cases in mind which they would like me to look into, I would be only too pleased to do so.

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