Local authorities and VECs vie to run student grants system

THE country’s local authorities and Vocational Education Committees (VECs) are battling it out to have sole responsibility for the administration of the €200 million student grants scheme.

Currently, 32 city and county VEC’s handle around two-thirds of the 56,000 grants payable under four different schemes to third level students.

The scheme also constitutes a significant element of the duties of city and county councils.