Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 September 2009
1234 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has been slow to pay moneys for student grants to local authorities; his views on the difficulties that have occurred with Sligo County Council in relation to receiving payment from his Department; if Committee Stage of the Student Support Bill 2008 will be taken during this Dáil term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31012/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe normal procedure for the recoupment of funding paid by local authorities in respect of first instalment of the maintenance grant is that the Department sends out the recoupment form to local authorities during the first week in November for return to the Department by the third week in November. The recoupment arrangements are being kept under continuous review particularly in light of the current economic climate, where grant assessing authorities may face additional challenges in terms of financial management.
The Department received a representation from Sligo County Council on 24th August 2009 requesting the co-operation of the Department to advance moneys to the local authority in order to facilitate paying eligible students for the first grant instalment of 2009/10. The Department responded to Sligo County Council on the 31st August forwarding a claim form for the first recoupment of the 2009/10 academic year in order to facilitate the local authority in making an early claim. Sligo County Council was advised that this early claim would be given high priority once received. I understand that the claim in respect of the first instalment was subsequently received from Sligo County Council on 11 September, allowing for processing of the claim.
The current position in relation to the Student Support Bill is that resources are not currently available to advance transition to new administrative arrangements in the immediate future. However, I am anxious to progress to a single scheme of grants as provided for in the Bill at the earliest possible date, while further exploring the options for administrative streamlining in the context of budgetary considerations and the Government's overall programme of public service reform, Transforming Public Services. This will require a number of amendments to the Bill and my Department has been working closely with the Office of the Attorney General in that regard. Subject to any technical, drafting and legal considerations arising, I hope to be in a position to have these amendments advanced sufficiently in order to progress to Committee Stage in the autumn session.
