Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 564: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will use his discretionary powers in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon to facilitate them with a grant to complete their four year honours degree course in psychiatric nursing at Athlone Institute of Technology. [31902/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The decision on eligibility for student maintenance grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority, either the local authority or VEC, as appropriate. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department, except in exceptional circumstances. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of maintenance 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. Under the terms of my Department's maintenance grant schemes, candidates who have previously pursued an undergraduate course approved for the purposes of the Higher Education Grants Scheme, the Vocational education Committees' Scholarship Scheme or the Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees (formerly ESF Scheme) shall not receive a grant under the grant schemes until they have completed an equivalent period of study at undergraduate level, irrespective of whether or not a grant was paid previously.