Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 1649: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare has been refused a grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2075/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Maintenance Grant Scheme for Students attending Post Leaving Certificate courses is administered by the Vocational Education Committees on behalf of my Department.

The application for grant assistance for the candidate referred to by the Deputy must be assessed under the terms of my Department's Maintenance Grant Scheme for Students Attending Post Leaving Certificate Courses 2006. Clause 3.2 of the PLC Scheme sets out the condition under which a candidate is deemed to be ineligible to apply for funding, it states that:—

"Candidates are ineligible if they already hold a FETAC Level 5 qualification (formerly known as a FETAC (NCVA) Level 2 qualification), a FETAC Level 6 qualification (formerly known as a FETAC (NCVA) Level 3 qualification) or a third level qualification at Level 6 or higher. However, notwithstanding this condition candidates who already hold a qualification no higher than FETAC Level 5 (formerly known as a FETAC (NCVA) Level 2) and are now pursuing a course that offers progression may be deemed eligible for grant aid."

Under this provision, students holding a qualification no higher than a FETAC Level 5 (formally known as a FETAC (NCVA) Level 2 qualification) may receive grant assistance in respect of an approved PLC course which offers progression.

I understand from officials in my Department that the candidate referred to by the Deputy has completed the Photography Level 2 Progression Award and the Photography Level 3 Progression Award at Limerick Senior College which are both on the PLC approved list. Unfortunately, the Higher Professional Diploma course in the Limerick Senior College is not an approved course under the Department's PLC Scheme and therefore I regret that under the above provisions of the PLC Scheme the candidate in question is ineligible to be considered for grant assistance under the Post Leaving Certificate Scheme.