Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important Bill. It is important because it recognises the issue of student grants for the future of our young people. I pay tribute to the VECs and the county councils for the work they have done in making the grants available. I was a member of Monaghan County Council, which had one of the best records for fast payment of grants. We took a cross-party decision that even if we had to borrow the money, students would come first and get their money on time. In this context, teachers and others involved in secondary schools need to make sure students are properly advised and encouraged to apply on time. In the past, the county council or the VEC often did not get the requisite information on time and grants were subsequently delayed. The Minister, as the person in charge of the taxpayers' money funding these grants, should use the opportunity early on in the year to encourage principals and teachers to get students to apply on time.

The Bill is fairly simple and is not contentious. It provides for a unified grant payment scheme and for the awarding authorities to administer student grants in line with the provisions of the Bill. Although it was not one of the issues for which it lobbied, the Irish National Adult Learning Organisation recognises that by simplifying the range of different grants and awarding authorities, information will be more accessible and the whole process of obtaining funding will be much simpler.

It is clear that people generally welcome this Bill. I also note that Aontas received 3,485 queries on grants. The last speaker, Deputy Áine Brady, referred to the fact that in her short time in the Dáil she has received many queries from students. I assure the Deputy that it is one of the major issues in the Summer and Autumn that Oireachtas Members will have to deal with. We are very conscious of the need to streamline the grants system and ensure that people know their entitlements.

To be blunt, I have no personal experience of third-level education. My education was at the university of life. I had to move on to my home farm at an early stage and did not get the opportunity to attend a third level institution. However, I recognise that it is extremely important, not just for people in cities but for people in rural Ireland. The problem in the Cavan and Monaghan areas, and the Border region generally, is that all of our students must travel to third level education, with the exception of those who attend the Cavan College of Education, which has a high number of students in attendance. That college is linked with other colleges so that students can get the opportunity to be near home at the outset and then travel for their final courses. There is also Miffett College, a smaller college in Monaghan. It is important that such colleges are recognised and that the payment structures and the way they are treated is changed. I hope the Department will deal with that.

The other issue of concern is that some students must opt out of college for various reasons, for example, because of family sickness. If they are unable to finish their first year in college, they find that when they return the following year, they cannot get grant aid to begin the course again. Often such students will end up claiming social welfare benefits or taking up low-paid employment, rather than returning to college. This must be sorted out. If there is a genuine reason for a person opting out, common sense must be applied.

One of my concerns regarding this more centralised scheme is that there would be more red tape and the problems of individuals would not be taken into account. There are special cases and people with special problems. I dealt with such a special case recently. A woman became seriously ill with cancer, for the second time. She first became ill five years previously. On the first occasion, she was able to claim sickness benefit and a small benefit for her children. However, two years ago, quietly, in the Social Welfare Bill, the benefit for children was removed if the income of a spouse was over a certain limit. That was done, literally, in the dark of night and caused a major problem for this family. The family was extremely annoyed when they realised that when the woman got sick for a second time, the children were not granted even that small amount of money. The other issue was that while she was alive and on sickness benefit, grant aid for her two children, who were attending college, was not considered. One can only imagine the drain on the family's income which was caused by her serious illness. The woman passed away in early January and it transpires that her children's applications might be reconsidered. Fortunately, I had insisted that they submit their applications anyway, even though I knew they would not receive a grant at the time. I have since been able to get their application upgraded. I spoke to the person dealing with the case at local authority level who told me that she had never had as difficult a discussion as the one she had with that woman, who was dying of cancer, because she was unable to help her out in any way.

We should not have a system that prevents us from taking into account the special needs of a family like the one I have just mentioned. The structure in place ensured that the two students in question did not get their proper rights. We must have a structure that is flexible. I accept there is an appeals mechanism in place but having dealt with appeals systems in agriculture and other areas, I know it can take some time. It is not automatic and does not always deal with the situation as it should.

Another issue of concern is that where a person, especially a PAYE worker, earns even €1 over the limit, there is no grant. In a Border area most students must travel to third-level institutions, stay overnight and so forth. If a family must pay for a student to attend college in Dublin, Galway, Cork or wherever, it can be very costly but there is no tax relief on that cost. A similar family living in Dublin, Galway or Cork would not have to shoulder the costs of accommodation and so forth. This system militates against those living in rural Ireland and I ask the Minister to re-examine this issue. I have already asked the Minister for Finance to do so on a number of occasions. If fees must be paid, tax relief is available but the same is not true for accommodation.

Another problem in the Border areas concerns Northern Ireland. Until last year, colleges in Northern Ireland did not charge fees. That has now changed and is causing problems for students who aimed to undertake courses in Northern Ireland, some of which cannot be easily undertaken elsewhere. Often, with students in Border areas, members of their family have already attended university in Belfast, Coleraine or Jordanstown and elsewhere in Northern Ireland and they wish to follow in their footsteps. There are now major problems in that regard and I ask the Minister to examine the issue.

Regarding people who come from abroad to live here, I welcome the changes which have allowed for much more freedom for such people. However, there is still room for improvement. At present, people coming to live here must wait a long time for a residency permit. If they do not have such a permit, they cannot obtain third level grants. I recently wrote to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in an attempt to find out what the situation was with regard to the processing of a student's residency application. I was simply told, in a nice way, that it would be another eighteen months to two years before the case was dealt with, by which stage, the student in question would be finished college. The mother of the student is a highly-skilled doctor. She was recruited from abroad to work in the health service. Her husband had a serious accident and is no longer fit to work, but because of his wife's income, he is not receiving any social welfare payments. One can imagine the dire situation that family has found itself in because it cannot obtain a residency permit and, thus, a grant. While I acknowledge the many improvements made in this area, I urge the Minister to improve the position further.

I also welcome the improvements for children living away from home. I note that the USI refers to the fact that the Student Support Bill will pave the way for students under 23 and living away from home to be independently assessed for the purpose of grants.

Last year, I dealt with a case of a student whose relationship with her father had broken down to such an extent that they no longer communicated with one another. She also had difficulties with her mother. The student was shown no latitude when she failed to obtain information from her father on his income and, as a result, was not awarded a grant. When a student is clearly living outside the home — in the case to which I refer the young woman was living with her partner and had no contact with her parents — it is vital that he or she is given all possible support.

I recall the case of a married student aged under 23 years who could not secure a grant without providing details of her parents' income. I am grateful that these types of concerns have been listened to and hope the new provision will deliver what is necessary.

The need for lifelong learning was raised. Deputy Mansergh, like me, has been involved in Northern Ireland affairs for some time — the role of some is greater than that of others. I was involved at an early stage in establishing a cross-Border project between Emyvale and Aughnacloy to bring students together in a unique partnership. The project received international support and has resulted in the opening of a school for lifelong learning in the area. I thank the Minister and others for their assistance in this regard. Knockconan national school, which was officially opened a few months ago, is a credit to all those involved in it. The facility provides accommodation for people from both sides of the Border to enable them to work and learn together at national and adult level. It is an encouraging development which I hope will mark the dawn of a new era.

In welcoming the thrust of the Bill I hope it will not become bogged down in red tape. This week, the House discussed the need to ensure patients come first in the health system. It is vital that students' needs come first and anomalies are addressed to ensure young people are given the best possible chance to secure education and employment. The education system is a source of pride for Irish people.

Only a limited number of high quality jobs are available in Border areas, such as counties Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal, to attract graduates from the area to return home. While it is important to ensure students receive a proper education, are given opportunities and tax relief is made available to their parents, where necessary, it is also vital that the Border region, which suffered most as a result of the Troubles of the past 40 years, receives a fair share of high quality jobs. In light of the new dispensation in Northern Ireland and along the Border, I hope the Government will make a real effort to ensure highly qualified graduates have an opportunity to return home and rebuild the region's economy which badly needs a boost.

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