Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 21/11/2012. Tags: Education And Politics
Students and low-income families are facing payment delays this Christmas due to setbacks experienced by the Student Grant Scheme and the Family Income Supplement (FIS).
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has admitted that some students may not receive their maintenance grant until the new year, despite an additional 50 temporary staff having been approved to help ensure targets are met.
Mr Quinn explained that SUSI "will endeavour to ensure that students who are awarded a maintenance grant will be paid before the end of the year", but due to bank detail requirements, verification of attendance and banking restrictions, some people may not be paid until the beginning of January.
According to the Irish Independent, of the 33,000 grants scheduled to be paid out by the end of the year, just 4,420 students have so far received their money.
Meanwhile, the FIS scheme has been plagued by delays that mean some families may not have their welfare application dealt with until March.
The initiative helps low-income working families to come off the dole, but the backlog is not expected to be cleared for another four months.
Written by Donal Walsh
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