Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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To process the grant applications of 69,000 students, that is approximately 1,000 applications per person. Was a process of due diligence completed by the Department in order to establish whether the process put in place was fit for purpose? I regard education as one of the greatest services that a Government can provide. It is the gateway to a myriad of opportunity from primary, to post-primary to third level. If a service is put in place that impedes those with financial difficulties from progressing in their studies, I have a major issue. It is a bottom line issue. Parents want to see their children progress through the system. Children from disadvantaged areas have striven to get a third level place. Some students have exams at Christmas time that contribute to their overall result for the year. I am not making a personal comment but this is just not good enough. Mr. Ó Foghlú should have the figures at his fingertips, because this is taxpayers' money. Approximately 10,000 grant applications have yet to be processed. What resources will be put in place to ensure that grants will be processed as quickly as possible? What is the timeframe? Will Mr. Ó Foghlú give an assurance of the timeframe for the processing of the applications?

The process was not fit for purpose. In cases where it should have been a single telephone call, we would have made 20. There are inherent flaws in the system.