06 June, 2006 - Minister Hanafin Announces Student Grant Scheme Changes

Vocational Education Committees selected as exclusive awarding authority

The Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin T.D., today announced that the State's thirty three Vocational Education Committees (VECs) are to be given sole responsibility for the administration of third level student maintenance grants with effect from the 2007/2008 academic year. 

The Minister said that the decision was taken following an extensive round of consultation and assessment of all of the available options for administering student grants on a more streamlined basis.  Currently, responsibility for grant payments rests with a combination of VECs and Local Authorities. 

'The changes are part of overall plans to introduce service improvements in the administration of the student grant schemes.  These will include guaranteed timeframes for the earlier payment of grants, an independent appeals procedure and more efficient arrangements for handling applications and making payments.  Giving sole responsibility for administering the grants to the VECs will reduce the existing client confusion caused by a variety of agencies being involved, depending on the county.  It will mean that we can now achieve a greater consistency of approach across the country, while at the same time retaining local service delivery and reducing unnecessary duplication of bureaucracy.  

The core objective of the change is to enable improvements in the standard of service provided to the 57,000 students around the country who are in receipt of grants.  Service agreements will be put in place with the VECs that will clearly define the standards required - the Minister said.

'The total investment by the Government this year in student maintenance grants is some €228 million.  These grants are a major factor in encouraging the record levels of participation that we now enjoy in higher education in Ireland and in achieving the major growth that has been seen in the representation of students from lower socio-economic groups.  In investing on this scale for the benefit of students, the Government is keen to ensure that a quality, user-friendly, application and payment service is provided to students.  The new administrative arrangements will facilitate that - Minister Hanafin concluded.

The Minister thanked the Local Authorities' management and staff for their contribution in administering maintenance grants and said that she looked forward to their continuing support in making the transition to the new arrangements.  She said that her officials would now be engaging with the VECs to finalise arrangements for the transfer of responsibilities.  It is intended that all new applications for grants for the 2007/08 academic year will now be handled by the VECs.    Plans are also in place to introduce new legislation to unify the various grant schemes and place them on a statutory footing. 
 

ENDS