A new central student grant system, which will handle all new student grant applications from this academic year on, has been condemned by local councillors.
At the Cultural, Education, Heritage and Corporate Affairs SPC on Wednesday, Acting County Secretary John McHale outlined that since the government brought in the Student Support Act in 2011, that all new student grant applications will be submitted online (www.studentfinance.ie ) and processed through Student Universal Support Ireland, a central body based in Dublin.
Mr McHale however emphasised that grant renewals will continue to be dealt with locally, until 2016-2017, with 1,200 grant renewals to be processed in Mayo for the current academic year.
Chair of the SPC, Councillor Al McDonnell said that this new student grant system is “a serious retrograde step” as it is “not in the best interest of the community, students, their parents or the county.” Cllr McDonnell said that it is a “disgrace” that this is happening as not alone has the “human element gone” in directly dealing with the “efficient staff” in Castlebar, but as there is not adequate broadband in the county it seriously “discriminates against rural people” who may not have internet access to submit their applications online.
The comments were echoed by Cllr Eugene McCormack who said that “local people should be dealing with local problems”. The councillor said that this “is a negative step” and he condemned the move. Cllr Cyril Burke added that it “is another major blow to local democracy.”
Cllr McDonnell said that the SPC should draft a letter to the department expressing the SPC’s views. Director of services, Joe Loftus said that this letter can be sent but that it is “a fait accompli.”
