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18/09/2012
Clare County Council Blocking Student Grants Over Household Charge
Clare County Council has refused to approve third-level student grants unless their parents have paid the €100 household charge, in a move supported by education minister Ruairi Quinn this morning.
Mr Quinn said it was a "reasonable" question for the council to ask whether the charge has been paid.
Although he said the Department of Education had no role in instructing the question to be asked, he speculated that other councils might go down the same route.
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin however questioned whether it was legal to ask the question.
"I think they are out of order, to be frank, he said.
"I would question the legal basis of what Clare County Council is doing," he added.
The Union of Students in Ireland said young people should not be penalised for their parents' action.
USI president John Logue said: “The action taken by Clare County Council must be condemned in the strongest terms. This is an unprecedented move. Never have I heard of a grant being refused until proof of payment is offered for a completely unrelated tax owed by another person.
"Students are being punished for the decisions of their parents and their education is being put at risk."
A statement from Clare County Council this morning defended the move: "The assessment and processing of Higher Education Grants is carried out on an agency basis for the Department of Education and Skills, and is done at a cost (IT, staff, processes, etc) to Clare County Council."
"The Household Charge was introduced to cover the cost of providing local services such as the assessing and processing grants, for which there is no charge to the customer in terms of a grant application fee.
"It is the policy of the council to ensure that benefactors of services such as Higher Education Grants pay the Household Charge as required by law under the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 / Local Government (Household charge) Regulations 2012.
"While any delay in relation to the processing of grant payments is regretted, early payment of the charge will ensure no unnecessary delay in the payment of grants."
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Mr Quinn said it was a "reasonable" question for the council to ask whether the charge has been paid.
Although he said the Department of Education had no role in instructing the question to be asked, he speculated that other councils might go down the same route.
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin however questioned whether it was legal to ask the question.
"I think they are out of order, to be frank, he said.
"I would question the legal basis of what Clare County Council is doing," he added.
The Union of Students in Ireland said young people should not be penalised for their parents' action.
USI president John Logue said: “The action taken by Clare County Council must be condemned in the strongest terms. This is an unprecedented move. Never have I heard of a grant being refused until proof of payment is offered for a completely unrelated tax owed by another person.
"Students are being punished for the decisions of their parents and their education is being put at risk."
A statement from Clare County Council this morning defended the move: "The assessment and processing of Higher Education Grants is carried out on an agency basis for the Department of Education and Skills, and is done at a cost (IT, staff, processes, etc) to Clare County Council."
"The Household Charge was introduced to cover the cost of providing local services such as the assessing and processing grants, for which there is no charge to the customer in terms of a grant application fee.
"It is the policy of the council to ensure that benefactors of services such as Higher Education Grants pay the Household Charge as required by law under the Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 / Local Government (Household charge) Regulations 2012.
"While any delay in relation to the processing of grant payments is regretted, early payment of the charge will ensure no unnecessary delay in the payment of grants."
(H)
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