Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 472: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the action he will take to alleviate the distress and hardship caused to students by the failure to disburse education grants in a timely manner; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Cork City Council has indicated that grants will not be awarded until late November 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41661/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The arrangements for the payment of grants under the Grant Schemes are a matter for the Local Authorities. The terms of the Higher Education Grants Scheme for the 2009/10 academic year provide for the payment by the Local Authorities of each maintenance grant in three equal instalments as early as possible in each term with the individual payable orders being addressed to the grantholder C/0 the Bursar's Office of the College. Officials in my Department contacted Cork City Council and they confirmed that they recently paid the first instalment to students whose grant application was received before the closing date 31 August 2009.