Row could delay payment of grants to students

AN industrial dispute in the vocational education sector could delay the payment of the improved grants to thousands of third-level students announced at the weekend.

More than 700 administration workers in the country’s Vocational Education Committees (VECs) have placed a ban on additional work until a row over staffing levels is resolved.

Such extra work would include the processing of thousands of extra grant applications expected as a result of the changes to income thresholds announced by Education Minister Noel Dempsey.