James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 562: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Longford has been denied a third level education grant due to the fact that they took time out to look after their father who suffered from a serious condition which left him totally incapacitated and immobile between 2005 and 2007 and to run the family farm from September 2005 to September 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35437/08]

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.