Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 26 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 3

Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.

Andrew Boylan

Ceist:

419 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a third level grant has been refused to a person (details supplied) in County Cavan; whether it is fair that this person is means tested, when the person's lone parent's allowance is only sufficient to pay for her childminding and upkeep of her child; his further views on whether it is fair that this person has to depend on her parents to pay for her education; and if the decision can be reversed and a grant payment made to this person. [6546/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

My Department funds three means-tested maintenance grant schemes for third level education students in respect of attendance on approved courses in approved third level institutions: the higher education grants scheme; the VEC scholarship scheme; and the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees.

The statutory framework for the higher education grant schemes is set out in the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. It is the local authorities which, on behalf of my Department, administer the schemes, which are reviewed annually by my Department. The vocational education committees scholarship scheme and the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees are administered by the vocational education committees on behalf of my Department. All three schemes have broadly similar provisions which govern the award of a grant, for example, age, residency and means.

Application for a grant must be made to the relevant local authority or VEC. Decisions on applications which are taken by these bodies are based on the terms of the schemes which issue from my Department. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except in exceptional cases where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is desired. It appears that no such advice or instruction has, to date, been sought in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy. If an individual applicant considers that he or she has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, he or she may appeal to the relevant local authority or VEC.

Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by the relevant local authority or VEC, and remains of the view that the body has not interpreted the schemes correctly in his or her case, a letter outlining the position may be sent to my Department. Alternatively, as already indicated, the local authority or VEC may itself, in exceptional circumstances, seek clarification on issues from my Department. It is not open to me, or my Department, to depart from the terms of the maintenance grant schemes in individual cases. Until such time as an application has been decided on by the relevant local authority or VEC, all inquiries regarding an indi vidual application should be directed to the body concerned rather than to my Department.

Apart from the maintenance grants schemes and the free fees initiative, under which my Department meets the cost of tuition fees for eligible undergraduate students in approved institutions, financial support is also available to students in approved third level institutions through the student assistance-access fund. The objectives of the fund, which is ESF-aided, are to assist students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise, due to their financial circumstances, be unable to continue their third level studies. The fund is administered on a discretionary and confidential basis by each third level institution and provides direct financial support for disadvantaged students to assist them to remain on in college. I significantly increased the provision for this fund from €2.49 million, £1.964 million, in respect of the 2000-01 academic year to €7.49 million, £5.9 million, in respect of the 2001-02 academic year.