Student grants - Delays cause hardship

BARELY a week ago, Education Minister Noel Dempsey pledged to focus his energies on combating educational disadvantage.

Yet we now learn of administrative delays in his department that will mean hardships for tens of thousands of students.

As a result, application forms for maintenance grants for third level students will be four weeks late reaching the relevant bodies. This despite the problem being highlighted for the past two months by the umbrella group for vocational education committees.

The department’s bid to blame a hold-up on the printing of new forms resulting from the adjustment in the tax year simply does not wash.

With anxious parents and students yet to get hold of the application forms, there should be no question of adhering to the August 31 deadline for submitting grant requests.

This scenario is totally unacceptable. With thousands of hard-pressed students already facing a steep rise in college registration fees, the latest development is deplorable.

Despite Minister Dempsey’s pledge, hardship will now be inflicted on those most in need of Government support. This is yet another example of the Coalition introducing a Budget by stealth.