Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1144: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will change the closing date for applications for the third level grant to enable staff in local authorities and VECs to process applications and issue letters of entitlement to students, thereby alleviating the need for students who will receive the grant to pay registration fees on commencing college; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24911/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department funds three maintenance grant schemes for third level students. These are the higher education grants scheme, the vocational education committees' scholarships scheme, and the third level maintenance grants scheme for trainees. The higher education grants scheme is administered by the local authorities. The other two schemes are administered by the vocational education committees.

The closing date for receipt of applications for grant assistance in respect of each academic year is specified by the Department in its annual maintenance grant schemes. Applications for grant assistance under the third level student support schemes are made on the official student grant application form. The student grant application forms and accompanying notes booklets are published annually and are issued as early as possible in advance of each academic year. They are then distributed to the awarding bodies where they are made available to the public.

The 2005-06 student grant application forms and notes booklet were made available to the awarding bodies before the end of March 2005 and consequently the general public in mid-April 2005. This was well in advance of the deadline for receipt of the grant applications, which for the 2005-06 schemes was set at not later than 31 August 2005.

My Department, in recognition of the importance of the timely provision of payment to eligible students and timely notification of decisions reentitlement, 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, to ensure the earlier processing of applications and the earlier notification of decisions regarding eligibility to students. In this regard, a working group with representatives from both associations has been established. The broad terms of reference of this group are to examine ongoing operational issues with the current system of administration of the schemes. Issues regarding the early notification of decisions to eligible students and the timely payments of grants are a priority for this group.

My Department is also reviewing the arrangements for 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, which ensures consistency of application and client accessibility. The issue of closing date and guarantees regarding notifications of decisions are being considered as part of this examination.