Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 97: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the level of delay in the processing of student grants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41265/10]

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 129: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications for student maintenance grants received by local authorities and vocational educational committees; the number of these paid to each county council and VEC and the number now under appeal or refused to date in 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41453/10]

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 175: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of grant awarding authorities that are still processing student grants for the 2010-11 academic year; the percentage of applications processed and not processed by each awarding body; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41715/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 97, 129 and 175 together.

The process of assessing and paying third level or further education grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC.

I am aware that the timing of payment varies between the 66 awarding authorities depending on a number of variables including the volume of applications received, staffing resources and whether or not properly completed application forms have been submitted. Work prioritisation across different functions, and how available staff are deployed to execute those functions are matters for the management of each VEC and local authority concerned.

This year's student grant schemes include a number of significant administrative and service improvements aimed at addressing the issue of delay, which include an initial roll-out of a new online grant application system. The new system, introduced in both Irish and English, is already operating in 11 grant awarding authorities. Building on this initial phase for the current academic year, the ultimate aim will be to make it available to all applicants nationally.

Key among the other improvements introduced are a complete overhaul of the grant application form, streamlined administrative processes, advance payments to awarding authorities and publication of the grant schemes some two months earlier than last year. The Student Support Bill, which will provide for a fundamental and radical restructuring of the whole student grants administration function and provide for a single unified scheme is now listed to be taken at Committee Stage on 25 November 2010.

A number of amendments to the Bill relating to legal and policy issues have arisen since Second Stage. These are being finalised with the Attorney General's Office.

In addition, possible options for a more significant centralisation of functions have been explored in line with the Government's wider programme of public service reform and it has been decided that the grants function will be administered by a single Grant Awarding Authority. The intention is to have any amendments arising from the Government decision on this issue sufficiently advanced with the Attorney General's Office to be dealt with at Committee Stage to prevent any further delay in the passage of the Bill.

The table attached details the number of new student grant applications received, fully processed, refused, the number paid and the percentage processed by the local authorities and Vocational Educational Committees for the 2010/11 academic year as at end October 2010. It should be noted that the difference between the numbers of new applications received and the numbers fully processed include incomplete applications and those submitted without the required supporting documentation. The information has been supplied to my Department by the local authorities and the Vocational Education Committees. Information in relation to the number of appeals made to grant awarding authorities is not collected by my Department.