Grants scheme to lure student votes

THE two main opposition parties are hoping for the support of student voters on plans to reform the college grants scheme, after proposed Government legislation on the issue failed to make it to the Oireachtas.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin announced plans last summer to give responsibility for all four student grant schemes to the country’s Vocational Education Committees (VECs) from this summer. But the Student Support Bill required to make the change was not introduced before the election was called last month.

Fine Gael is proposing that a Student Support Unit should be set up to co-ordinate all grants for students at colleges on both sides of the border and studying abroad.

However, it has not singled out the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA) as the preferred agency to accommodate the unit, suggested by the Labour Party.

“We haven’t said where it should be but it’s something we’re open to examining and we will study the option of having it within the Department of Social and Family Affairs,” said FG education spokeswoman Olwyn Enright.

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) had requested that Ms Hanafin transfer responsibility for operation of grants systems to the Department of Social and Family Affairs, believing that VECs and local authorities do not have proper mechanisms in place.

The 33 city and county VECs currently administer around two-thirds of the grants awarded to almost 60,000 third-level students, with the remainder processed by city and county councils. While Ms Hanafin has acknowledged the delays faced by thousands of students each year awaiting payment of grants, she decided the VECs should be given overall responsibility.

The Department of Social and Family Affairs was considered an option but was reluctant to take on the burden, while Ms Hanafin believed the VECs would be better equipped to operate the system through their local offices.