Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 357: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will consider the establishment of a centralised streamlined system of administration in respect of third level grants in view of the hardship that many students have to endure as a result of the delays in securing grants to which they are entitled, delays which are caused in the main by poor administration at local level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6910/05]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 361: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if there are any applications for third level grants for 2004-05 which have not yet been decided; if any qualifying students have not yet received an initial payment for 2004-05; if so, the granting authority or authorities concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6919/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 361 together.

My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students. Those are the higher education grants scheme, the vocational education committees' scholarships scheme, the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees, and the maintenance grants scheme for students attending post-leaving certificate courses. The higher education grants scheme is administered by the local authorities. The other three schemes are administered by the vocational education committees. The process of assessing eligibility for third level or further education grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC.

My Department carried out a survey of the 66 local authorities and VECs early in 2005 in respect of the status of applications for student grants for the current academic year as at mid-January. The survey indicated that decisions had been taken on at least 82% of applications at that time. Of the remaining 18% of applications received close on 15% were ones regarding which additional documentation was awaited or where the application form itself was incomplete. The remaining 3% were either part-processed by the awarding authority, or processing had yet to commence. Those will include late applications accepted by the awarding authorities and applications received in respect of courses which commence in the first quarter of the 2005 calendar year.

My Department, in recognition of the importance of the timely provision of payment to eligible students, is engaged in ongoing consultations with the Irish Vocational Education Association and the County and City Managers Association with a view to improving the existing arrangements and ensuring the earlier processing of applications and the making of payments to eligible students.

My Department is also in discussions with the existing stakeholders regarding the future administration of the schemes. My intention is that whatever future administration of the schemes we put in place will be one which delivers a quality and timely service to students and which ensures consistency of application and client accessibility.