Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 701: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal was refused grant assistance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22237/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The candidate in question completed a two-year higher certificate, national certificate, course in business studies at Blanchardstown Institute of Technology in 2004 in respect of which she received grant assistance and that she subsequently commenced a three-year ordinary degree, national diploma, in applied social studies in social care in the 2004-05 academic year at Sligo Institute of Technology.

Grant assistance in respect of approved higher certificate and ordinary degree courses is awarded to eligible candidates under the terms and conditions prescribed in my Department's third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees. Under the scheme's terms, candidates may in general only receive funding in respect of one approved third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees course. Notwithstanding this condition, the scheme does, however, provide for progression in specific circumstances where, for instance, a candidate who has completed a two-year higher certificate course progresses to the add-on year of a directly related ordinary degree. Another exception where grant assistance may be extended in respect of a subsequent third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees course would be where, following completion of a two-year higher certificate, a candidate gets an exemption into year two of a related ordinary degree course.

The scheme does not provide grant assistance where, as in this case, a candidate has completed a two-year higher certificate and subsequently pursues a three-year ordinary degree course which is not directly related to his or her previous course.