Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 189: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which higher education grants have been paid up to date or otherwise by vocational education committees or local authorities on a county basis throughout the country to date in respect of the current year; those outstanding, if any, from previous years; the plans or provisions, if any to streamline, update and expedite the process in the coming year in view of the hardship caused by delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18599/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The attached table details the latest information on the number of new applications awaiting decisions. The information has been supplied to my Department by the local authorities and the Vocational Education Committees. The information in relation to the applications outstanding from previous years is not available in the format requested by the Deputy as the process of paying third level or further education grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. The timing of payment varies between the 66 awarding bodies depending on a number of variables including the volume of applications received, staffing resources and whether or not properly completed application forms have been received.

Both VECs and local authorities are experiencing pressures due to the increased workload associated with the increased demand for student grants, particularly in the context of the recruitment moratorium in the public sector which, in some instances, will have impacted on the processing of grants. However, every effort is being made by these bodies to ensure that students get decisions on their grant applications and are paid as soon as possible.

Given the likelihood of further increases in the numbers of grant applications, my Department is working closely with local authorities, VECs and other relevant stakeholders to continue development of a number of initiatives to support more effective delivery of student grants, including service improvements in application, assessment and payments arrangements.

Work is currently being advanced on the development of a scaleable on-line applications facility in conjunction with a number of VECs and local authorities. Other measures include the introduction of a new, more simplified application form for 2010, earlier approval of the grant schemes, examination of the possible extension of the pilot electronic funds transfer (EFT) payments system introduced in 2009/2010 and the development of common annual renewal and re-assessment processes.

In addition, as part of the business process re-engineering exercise under way under the Transforming Public Services initiative, business process improvement techniques are being used to analyse ways in which the current assessment process can be handled more efficiently.