Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 731: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the case of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly who is seeking a higher education grant. [31609/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The position with regard to deferred studies is that students who were in receipt of the BTEA and the student maintenance grant when they participated on a course and deferred their studies with the approval of the college, may be eligible to hold both payments for the duration of that course. However, the decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant assessing authority, i.e. the applicant's local authority or VEC.

An applicant may appeal the decision to the relevant local authority or VEC. Where the assessing authority decides to reject the appeal, the applicant may appeal this decision to my Department by submitting an appeal form outlining clearly the grounds for the appeal.

The candidate referred to by the Deputy should apply to her local authority or VEC to establish her entitlement to a student grant for 2010/2011 academic year.