AN ESTIMATED 500 third-level students could face financial hardship following a decision to delay grant payments until the relevant funds have been released by the Department of Education.
A delegation from the Union of Students of Ireland (USI) yesterday raised the issue with Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe concerning Sligo County Council’s decision.
USI president Peter Mannion pointed out that many colleges had now reopened and he said that this decision could force some Sligo students to opt out of college for financial reasons.
The issue arose at a meeting of the council on Monday when county manager Hubert Kearns said that the department was slow to release funds for grants to local authorities.
The council said that traditionally local authorities have paid grant instalments and fees “upfront” from its own resources and have subsequently recouped the funds from the department.
“Sligo County Council feels that its financial position means this arrangement may no longer be feasible, and has advised the department that it may not be in a position to make payments to students and colleges in the current academic year, in advance of the department recouping this expenditure,” it added.
The department said it had received representations from the council on August 24th requesting it to advance money for the first grant instalment for 2009/10.
The department responded on August 31st by forwarding a claim form to the council in order to allow the local authority to make an early claim. It also pointed out that the council was told that their early claim would be given high priority.
However, “the claim form for an early payment for the first instalment of 2009/10 has yet to be received from Sligo County Council”.
