Vol. 508 No. 1
883 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the correspondence sent to him on 30 August 1999 regarding a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; if he will ensure that financial assistance is provided to enable her to continue her studies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17809/99]
I am aware of the case as outlined in the correspondence referred to and I understand that the candidate to whom the Deputy refers was awarded a grant under the terms of the European Social Fund – aided grants scheme for trainees, 1997, in respect of her attendance on the national certificate in electronics course at Letterkenny Institute of Technology. Under the terms of the scheme a grant is tenable for the normal duration of the approved course and is renewable annually subject to satisfactory attainment. Grants may not be paid in respect of a repeat year of study on the same course except where a vocational education committee, at its discretion, waives this provision in exceptional circumstances such as cases of certified serious illness.
As the student in question failed part of her second year exams and is now due to repeat the year, she is ineligible for funding under the scheme. As the terms of the scheme are of general application, exceptions cannot be made in individual cases. Finally, I would mention that my Department operates a hardship fund which is administered locally through the third level institutions. One of the objectives of this fund is to assist students in a sensitive and compassionate manner who might otherwise because of financial reasons suffer hardship or be unable to continue their third level studies. If the student in question experiences severe financial hardship while attending college she may apply to the student welfare officer at the college she is attending for financial assistance from the hardship fund.
884 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will ensure that financial assistance is provided to enable a person (details supplied) in County Sligo to continue her studies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17810/99]
The courses approved for the purposes of the vocational education committees' scholarship scheme, include business and technology education council – BTEC – approved higher national diploma – HND – courses at a number of colleges/institutions in Northern Ireland, including Fermanagh College, Enniskillen. BTEC approved courses at levels lower than HND level are not approved for the purposes of the scheme. I understand that as the student in question is pursuing a course at BTEC national diploma level, which is at a lower level than BTEC HND level, she is not eligible for grant assistance under the VEC scholarship scheme.
The maintenance grants scheme which I introduced for students attending post-leaving certificate courses does not extend to students pursuing PLC equivalent courses in Northern Ireland. Any extension of the scope of these arrangements could only be considered in the light of available financial resources and competing needs in the education sector.
885 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will ensure that financial assistance is provided to enable a person (details supplied) in County Sligo to take up his place in Dublin City University; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17811/99]
Under the terms of the third level student support schemes, a candidate's reckonable income for the purposes of the award of a grant is the candidate's gross income from all sources and that of her or his parents or guardians, where applicable. Certain social welfare and health board payments are excluded from reckonable income.
Inquiries have been made with Sligo Vocational Education Committee, the body entrusted with the administration of the VEC scholarship scheme and I understand that the reckonable income in this case exceeds the income limit for the payment of a maintenance grant under the relevant scheme. Based on the details of reckonable income supplied, the student in question would qualify for a fee only grant which, in this case, would cover the registration fee up to a maximum of £278.
886 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will ensure that financial assistance is provided to enable a person (details supplied) in County Sligo to continue her studies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17812/99]
The courses approved for the purposes of the vocational education committee's scholarship scheme, include business and technology education council – BTEC – approved higher national diploma – HND – courses at a number of colleges/institutions in Northern Ireland, including the Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education. BTEC approved courses at levels lower than HND level are not approved for the purposes of the scheme. I understand that as the student in question is pursuing a course at BTEC national diploma level, which is at a lower level than BTEC HND level, she is not eligible for grant assistance under the VEC scholarship scheme.
The maintenance grants scheme which I introduced for students attending post-leaving certificate courses does not extend to students pursuing PLC equivalent courses in Northern Ireland. Any extension of the scope of these arrangements could only be considered in the light of available financial resources and competing needs in the education sector.
