Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 537: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the dissatisfaction and hardship arising from delays in payments of grants to third level students, which in some instances run to upwards of nine months; and if arrangements to ensure the earlier processing of applications and the timely payment to eligible students will be put in place. [33870/05]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 567: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if any local authority or vocational educational committee has outstanding applications for higher education grants not yet decided or awarded; the local authorities and vocational educational committees in question; the number of applications in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34203/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 537 and 567 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. It is not, therefore, possible to indicate the number of outstanding applications for higher education grants not yet decided or awarded at this stage.

Among the factors which give rise to delays in processing applications is where the administering body is awaiting further information or documentation from applicants, or applicants have failed to submit complete application forms.

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 enhancing the existing arrangements and ensuring the earlier processing of applications and the making of payments to eligible students. In that regard, a working group with representatives from both associations was established earlier this year. The broad terms of reference of the group are to examine ongoing operational issues with the current system of administration of the schemes. Issues regarding the early payments of grants to eligible students are a priority for the group.

The Deputy will be aware of my Department's discussions with the existing stakeholders regarding the future administration of the schemes. I intend that whatever future administration of the schemes we put in place should deliver a quality and timely service to students and ensure consistency of application and client accessibility.