Gerry O'Sullivan
Ceist:38 Mr. G. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that all grants awarded to third level students in 1990 will be paid on time; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Third Level Grants.
The position regarding payments of grants is that the administration of the higher education grants and the VEC scholarships schemes has been statutorily entrusted to the local rating authorities and the vocational education committees respectively.
The specimen higher education grants scheme issued by my Department to the local authorities each year contains a provision as follows:—
Payment of Grant: Clause 7 of Higher Education Grants Scheme.
(a) The appropriate lecture fee will be paid by the relevant local authority in advance of registration to the institution concerned in respect of eligible students on receipt of invoice for the lecture fee from the appropriate third level college. This will be subject to the refund in full of the lecture fee if the student does not register or does not take up a place in the course in question.
(b) The . . . . . County Council/Corporation ..... shall pay the maintenance element (if any) of a grant-holder's grant in three equal instalments, as early as possible in each term, and the individual paying orders shall be addressed to the grant-holders C/o the Bursar's Office of the University or other educational institution concerned.
A similar provision is contained in the specimen vocational education committee scholarships scheme issued annually by the Department to each committee.
It is a matter for each local authority and vocational education committee to apply these provisions in its functional area and I would be concerned if there was any undue delay in the payment of grants or scholarships to students.
Under the terms of the Department's ESF training grants scheme, special training grants are paid to participants, monthly in arrears. The scheme operates in VEC colleges and payment of grant is a matter in the first instance for the VEC concerned whose responsibility it is to ensure prompt payment of grants. No instances of delay have been brought to my recent attention.