Information booklet on third-level grants
Kitt asks for a single, accessible booklet covering third-level grants, scholarships, income limits and grant amounts. Cooney says existing information is available through the Department, VECs, local authorities and colleges, but will consider presenting it more clearly; he notes that compiling a comprehensive booklet could be difficult and costly.
asked the Minister for Education if he will publish an information booklet on higher education grants and scholarships for third-level colleges.
Comment on this
A leaflet giving general information about the various schemes under which aid is provided to students in third level colleges is already available from my Department. The body responsible for the administration of each scheme of aid advertises such scheme annually in the public press and makes copies of the scheme available free of charge to interested parties. These present arrangements have proved adequate for their purpose but if the Deputy has had any particular difficulty in obtaining information I would invite him to communicate with me.
Comment on this
What I had in mind was a booklet similar to the one available from the Department of Social Welfare which sets out the various schemes operated by the Department. I was wondering whether the Department of Education might produce a similar type booklet setting out such details as income limits and the levels of grant available to third level students.
Comment on this
As I have indicated, documentation giving this information is available but I shall give some attention to the matter in the interest of ascertaining whether the information could be presented in a different way and in line with what I think the Deputy is suggesting, that is, easy to read and easy to follow.
Comment on this
Because there are so many schemes available for third level students and because there are so many different colleges perhaps the Minister would consider putting all the information in one booklet instead of people having to seek information from the local authorities, from the VECs and the third level colleges.
Comment on this
At most there are three sources of information. These are the VECs, the local authorities and the colleges concerned. Putting all the information together could prove difficult because there could be a whole range of scholarships and prizes of one kind or another offered by the universities, for instance. The production of a comprehensive booklet might prove expensive, but I shall give the matter consideration.