Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I thank the Senator for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the Minister's position concerning the processing of student grant applications by County Donegal VEC and Donegal County Council.

The Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students. These are the higher education grants scheme, the vocational education committees' scholarship scheme, the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees, and the maintenance grant scheme for students attending post-leaving certificate courses. The higher education grants scheme is administered by the local authorities and the remaining schemes are administered by the vocational education committees, the VECs.

Under the terms of the maintenance grant schemes, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those which relate to nationality, residency, means and previous academic attainment. The Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts 1968 to 1992 provide for the making of grants by local authorities to enable persons to attend approved courses of higher education. The process whereby local authorities assess eligibility and make grant payments under the higher education grants scheme is provided for under these Acts.

The process of assessing eligibility for third level or further education grants and the organisation and management of student support scheme grants are matters for the relevant local authority or VEC. These bodies seek to ensure students get decisions on their grant applications and are paid as soon as possible. It is essential that students return fully completed application forms and all necessary supporting documentation as early as possible to enable decisions to be made on entitlement.

Delays can arise where the administering body is awaiting further information or documentation from applicants, or where applicants have failed to submit complete application forms. In this regard County Donegal VEC has confirmed to officials of the Department that a significant number of the outstanding grant applications have not been processed in full owing to such delays.

The Senator will appreciate that, in the context of the current economic circumstances, difficult choices had to be made by the Government to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In that regard, the Senator will be aware of the Government decision to implement a recruitment and promotion moratorium in the public sector. In the VECs, positions other than teacher and special needs assistant posts in schools and teacher equivalents that are directly providing tuition to pupils in schools in special programmes or in an adult and further education are comprehended by this decision.

The Government also sought a reduction in pay in the public sector in 2009. In that regard the VECs' administrative pay funding allocations were reduced by 4% in 2009 and the Department is aware that certain VECs, including County Donegal VEC, have reduced overtime this year to remain within budget. County Donegal VEC has confirmed to the Department that the processing of grants has been affected by the overtime reduction and by the non-replacement of staff on leave due to the moratorium. On behalf of the Minister for Education and Science I acknowledge the difficulties this may be causing certain third level students. However, as I have already explained, difficult choices were necessary to ensure sustainability. Accordingly, I can confirm that the Minister for Education and Science does not intend seeking a derogation from the recruitment and promotion moratorium or from the Government decision regarding pay funding to facilitate the processing of grants by County Donegal VEC.

County Donegal VEC has assured the Department that the body of work associated with the processing of grants has been prioritised. On behalf of the Minister, I acknowledge the efforts of the VEC in the difficult circumstances that apply at this time. The Senator will appreciate it would not be appropriate for me to comment on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science on the consequences of the moratorium and overtime restrictions on the processing of grants by Donegal County Council as such issues in local authorities are a matter for his colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. I acknowledge the problems the Senator has raised and hope I have dealt with them in my response. I thank the Senator again for raising this matter.