Tanaiste urgd to intervene as another student grants crisis looms

Tanaiste and Education Minister Mary Coughlan is being urged to intervene in what’s being described as another grants crisis in County Donegal.
Figures obtained by Senator Pearse Doherty show that Donegal County Council has yet to process the majority of new grant applications it has recived, and he wants the Tanaiste to take action.
Most of the 650 new grant applicants received by Donegal County Council have not yet been processed, and Senator Doherty says with the council almost 6 weeks behind in processing applications.
With registration already underway, students who are not entitled to a grant have to pay a €1,500 fee for registration. Without the letter of offer showing that they are entitled to a grant, the fear is that grant applicants will be faced with two options: pay up or drop out.
Senator Doherty wants Ms Coughlan to issue a directive to all third level institutions ordering temporary registrations of all grant applicants, in order to allow them to participate fully in their courses