Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I understand the number of people in receipt of third level grants and benefiting under the schemes is 56,000. The amount of money involved in this has increased substantially. The HEA and my Department are working on a comprehensive computerised student records system that will not only deal with the numbers of people but their social profiles and the educational courses they are following. This will ensure we receive up to date information more quickly. We are still pursuing a number of returns for the period prior to 2002-03 from the various granting authorities. A central system would undoubtedly make it much easier and I accept what the Deputy said in that regard.

In regard to a new system, we all accept there is a need for a one-stop-shop, or at least one body, which would be responsible for distributing grants. Two issues arose in the context of the new legislation. One was a new scheme because there are talks about taking capital into account, and the other was a single body which would be responsible for the administration. The former is the more difficult issue and we discussed that before. I would not like to delay a proper administrative structure by waiting for the outcome of studies on the capital issue. There is no particular disagreement between any bodies; it is just that we do not have agreement yet.

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