Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 1113: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a higher education grant will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [24737/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is desired. It appears that no such advice or instruction has, to date, been sought in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy. If an individual applicant considers that s/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, s/he may appeal to the relevant local authority or VEC.

Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by the relevant local authority or VEC, and remains of the view that the body has not interpreted the schemes correctly in his or her case, a letter outlining the position may be sent to my Department. Alternatively, as already indicated, the local authority or VEC may, itself, in exceptional circumstances, seek clarification on issues from my Department. However, it is not open to me, or my Department, to depart from the terms of the maintenance grants schemes in individual cases.

I understand from the information provided by the Deputy that the candidate has already pursued and completed one year of a degree programme and is currently a first year student on a second degree programme. Section 7.6 of the higher education grants scheme provides that a candidate that has previously pursued an undergraduate course approved for the purposes of the scheme is not eligible to be considered for grant assistance until they have completed an equivalent period of study at undergraduate level, irrespective of whether or not a grant was paid previously. A similar provision exists in the VEC's scholarship scheme.

The candidate may be considered for grant assistance, subject to the usual terms and conditions, once she has completed the equivalent period of study on the current course and progresses, for the first time, to year two of the undergraduate course.