The Minister for Education says it is reasonable for County Councils to ask grant applicants if they have paid the household charge – before processing their applications.
Clare County Council has sent letters to third level grant applicants in the county asking them to submit proof that they have paid the household charge.
The local authority is responsible for processing the college application at a cost and a spokesperson for the council says that the Household Charge was introduced to fund local services such as the assessing and processing grants.
Clare County Council like other local authorities around the country now have the responsibility of assessing and processing college grants on an an agency basis for the Education Department.
In a statement the local authority says this is done at a cost to the council for areas like IT staffing and Processes and there is no charge to the customer – or parent in terms of a grant application fee.
The Household Charge was introduced to provide funding for council to cover the cost of such local services and a spokesperson says that given that the household charge go towards funding the council it its policy to ensure that benefactors of such services pay the Household Charge as required by law.
Clare FM understands that similar letters have also been issued by a number of other local authorities around the country.
Clare County Council says any delay in processing grant payments is regretted and early payment of the charge would ensure no unnecessary delay in the payment of the grants.
However it added that its not able to say if non-payment of the Household Charge would actually result in grant applications not being processed or being refused.
The Campaign Against the Household Charge has described the move as a new low for the government.
But Minister Ruairi Quinn says pressure should be put on people who choose not to pay the tax when they are able to do so – and he expects more county councils will follow suit.
