Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 39: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when persons (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a decision on an application for third level maintenance grant. [31651/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The processing of student grants is carried out by local grant awarding authorities – VECs and local authorities.

In the circumstances, it will be necessary for the student in question to contact his grant awarding authority to ascertain the position with his application.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the assistance available to a person (details supplied). [31655/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Deputy is referring to the change in the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of grant which was introduced by the previous Fianna Fáil - Green party Government under Budget 2011.

As that Government had factored in the savings from this and other changes to the student grant scheme to the public expenditure programme for 2011, I regret that I am not in a position to reverse or vary them. However, while a qualifying student may receive a lower rate of grant for the 2011/12 academic year, they will not lose grant assistance. Students on particularly low incomes will also receive a top-up in the special rate of grant.

It may be useful to the student in question to know that students in exceptional financial circumstances can apply for assistance under the Student Assistance Fund. Information on the Fund is available through the access office of the college the student is attending. The access office itself will also continue to provide support and advice to student to enable her to continue with her studies.

The particular college concerned also has a range of other schemes to assist students needing extra financial support. These schemes include rent assistance, class materials, travel/subsistence and emergency assistance. Details of the schemes are available on the college's website or, again, through the access office.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will clarify the vocational education committee calculation in awarding grants based on the milage; and if the VEC is using Google maps to calculate distances and choose the shortest distance irrespective of whether these routes are not available to bus services. [31663/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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There has been no change as to how local grant awarding authorities measure distances for student grant purposes.

As in the past for all cases, the shortest most direct route to the institution attended is measured. I understand that a range of mechanisms can be used, for example, online mapping such as AA Route Planner and Google Maps.

If the distance is disputed, the matter should be taken up with the grant awarding body concerned. In some cases, it may be necessary to carry out a physical measurement.