Vol. 502 No. 3
66 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the system of docking of maintenance grants in some courses at third level; his views on whether this system is unfair in view of the fact it applies only to some third level students; and the data, if any, his Department has on the amount of maintenance grant payments students are losing through this inequitable system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7786/99]
The scheme to which the Deputy is referring is the European Social Fund-aided third level courses maintenance grants scheme for trainees under which funding is made available to eligible students who are pursuing middle level technician and higher technical/business skills programmes at the institutes of technology.
The objective of the middle level technician and higher technical/business skills programme is to enhance industrial competitiveness and growth by providing initial third level education and training to meet the technical and higher level manpower needs of the economy and the regulations emphasise the extent to which training conditions mirror the reality of the work environment, thereby preparing trainees for the workplace.
The regulations governing the middle level technician and higher technical/business skills programme state that "Trainees on the programmes will be subject to normal industrial disciplines during training regarding time keeping, absenteeism etc., and the institute authorities will be required to reflect these factors in the payment of allowances. Trainees may be allowed sick leave without reduction in the level of grant for a maximum of 15 days per academic year. All such absences must be notified to the Institute Authorities in writing".
Normal industrial discipline refers to the normal conditions which exist in the workplace, for example, notifying absences due to illness in writing to the college authorities. Candidates applying for a maintenance grant for an ESF-aided course receive a copy of the scheme in which the payment procedures are set out and they are, accordingly, familiar with these provisions from the commencement of their courses.
My Department does not have any details in relation to the amount of maintenance grants payments students are losing under this provision of the ESF maintenance grants scheme and it has not been brought to my attention that this provision is causing concern to many students.
