Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 128: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be paid the third level maintenance grant. [3307/11]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 129: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be paid the third level maintenance grant. [3308/11]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 130: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be paid the third level maintenance grant. [3309/11]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 131: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be paid the third level maintenance grant. [3310/11]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 to 131, inclusive, 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 processing and paying of grants 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. These included addressing the issue of cash flow for grant awarding authorities to enable the timely payment of grants through the introduction of an advance payment arrangement.

My Department is in constant contact with grant awarding authorities to monitor the situation in relation to the processing and payment of student grants. Before Christmas, it wrote, on my behalf, to the heads of the grant awarding authorities to inform them that I am anxious to ensure that remaining applicants receive decisions on their grant applications as soon as possible and requesting their co-operation in prioritising this work in their Councils/Committees.