PRESS STATEMENT - Dublin City Council & VEC yet to make a single student grant payment

Sinn Féin Deputy Leader Mary Lou McDonald has this afternoon expressed outrage on learning that Dublin City Council and VEC have yet to make a single grant payment to students.

The Dublin Central representative went on to say: “I simply cannot believe that Dublin City Council and VEC believe it is right or appropriate to not make a single grant payment to our most vulnerable third level students despite the academic year being well under way.

“According to the Union of Students in Ireland’s figures there are 26 VEC’s and 16 Local Authorities yet to make a single payment to grant applicants. That Dublin City Council and VEC are among those yet to pay out is an absolute scandal.

“Students who apply for grant assistance are clearly struggling therefore they depend heavily on this financial assistance. For many late grant payments make continuing in college impossible. If the Minister for Education is truly committed to a fair and first class third level education system then she needs to stop punishing the states most vulnerable students by once and for all addressing this perennial problem of late student grant payments.

“Sinn Féin is calling on the Minister to immediately facilitate a review of the existing backlog that exists in Dublin City Council and VEC, to allocate temporary staff to process applications and make the necessary payments. The Minister also needs to issue an urgent directive to all third level institutions in Dublin ordering temporary registrations of all grant applicants in order to allow students to participate fully in their courses. Of course ultimately the government needs to stop faffing about and implement the Student Support Bill which has been stopped in its tracks since 2008.” ENDS