No excuse for grants delay, say students

THOUSANDS of students are struggling to make ends meet as their maintenance grants have not yet been paid out, the Union of Students in Ireland said yesterday.

They blamed delays on some of the local authorities and Vocational Education Committees, which are deciding on the grant applications from around 60,000 third level students this year.

However, USI education officer Brighid Breathnach said many colleges are waiting until all their students’ grants are cleared before issuing the first instalments. For students living more than 15 miles from home and receiving the full grant, this first payment could be up to €1,000.