Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 424: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 6 is not being considered for a third level grant as an independent mature student by Sligo County Council, Dublin City Council or Mayo County Council. [22791/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The decision on eligibility for third level grants and the issue of grant awards is a matter for the relevant Local Authority. I understand, from the information provided by the Deputy, that the student referred to completed her undergraduate studies in 2004 and commenced her post-graduate study in 2006/07 when she entered the Higher Diploma programme. The candidate is progressing, in the current academic year, to the Master's programme without a further break in studies. On this basis the student must be assessed with reference to the terms and conditions of the 2006 scheme i.e. the Scheme relevant at point-of-entry to the student's initial post-graduate course.

In order to be assessed as an independent mature student the candidate must still satisfy the conditions at point-of-entry in 2006/07 even though the grant application currently submitted relates to the 2007/08 academic year.

It is for the Local Authorities to agree among themselves which assessing body the application is more relevant to, having regard to where the candidate was ordinarily resident during the period from the 1st October 2005 to the date of commencement of the Higher Diploma programme in 2006/07.

The candidate will also have to satisfy the conditions pertaining to independent mature student status, as prescribed under the 2006 Scheme, in order to be assessed as such for the 2007/08 academic year.