Students Unions around Ireland are calling on Clare County Council to abandon it’s policy of de-prioritising the grant applications of students whose families have not paid the household charge.
The local authority has asked all grant applicants to furnish proof that they have paid the charge, and while it insists no student will have their moneys withheld, a spokesman for the Council has told Clare FM that those who have paid will be dealt with first.
Unions claim this is unfair, as it will see many of the poorest students left waiting for money, even though they’ve been in college since the beginning of the month.
Meanwhile The office of the Data Protection Commissioner made clear last night that any information gathered by councils in connection with student grants can not be used to pursue the household charge.
