Written answers

Thursday, 18 October 2007

Department of Education and Science

Higher Education Grants

5:00 pm

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 209: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the grant assistance available to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24599/07]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Students from this State who are attending undergraduate courses in any EU Member State can apply for maintenance grants in respect of approved courses which are pursued in colleges approved for the purposes of the schemes. My Department's Third Level Student Maintenance Grant Schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants to eligible students pursuing approved full-time undergraduate courses of at least two years duration (pursued in a university or a third level institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds) in other EU Member States with effect from the 1996/97 academic year.

The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority — i.e. the 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 required. The candidate should, therefore, apply to their relevant awarding body in the first instance. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the relevant local authority or VEC.

Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by the relevant local authority or VEC, and remains of the view that the body has not interpreted the schemes correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to my Department. Alternatively, as already indicated, the local authority or VEC may, itself, in exceptional circumstances, seek clarification on issues from my Department.

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