Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will arrange to have an application for a higher education grant for a person (details supplied) in County Cork reconsidered. [43392/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The decision on eligibility for third level and further education 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.

Under the prescribed terms and conditions of my Department's student maintenance grant schemes, grant assistance may not generally be awarded in respect of a repeat period of study at the same level, irrespective of whether or not funding was previously awarded. However, the awarding body may waive this provision in exceptional circumstances such as cases of certified serious illness. It should be emphasised, however, that this discretion would generally only be exercised where a candidate is repeating a period of study on the same course.

My Department understands from officials at Fingal County Council, the body responsible for the assessment of the candidate referred to by the Deputy, that she previously attended year one of a degree course in 2001/2002 at UCC. She is currently pursuing year one of her current degree course and therefore is ineligible for funding under the terms and conditions of my Department's 2006 HEG Scheme.

The candidate will be eligible to be assessed again for maintenance grant when she progresses to the second year of the degree course.