The decision on eligibility for maintenance grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. 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.
Under the means test provisions of the maintenance grants schemes, the reckonable income of a candidate, other than an independent mature candidate, is his or her gross income from all sources, and the gross income of his/her parents or guardians where applicable, with certain specified social welfare and health board payments being exempt.
Under the terms of the residency clause of the schemes, the candidate's parents or guardians, or, in the case of an independent mature candidate, the candidate herself/himself, must have been ordinarily resident in the administrative area of the vocational education committee, from 1 October previous to entry to the course in question. The VEC has discretion to waive this requirement in exceptional circumstances.
The candidate, referred to by the Deputy, is under 23 years of age and must, therefore, be assessed by reference to parent(s) income and residency status. It is not open to me, or to my Department, to depart from the terms of the schemes in individual cases.