Download Report

Information Booklet for Students going on to Further
Education in 2013.
WHAT NEXT?
Introduction
Over the last number of years Co. Louth Citizens
Information Service received queries looking for
information on Education Grants and what other
supports are available to students when they go on to
college.
This book also contains information on Banking,
Accommodation, Employment Rights and Consumer
Rights.
This booklet has been compiled by Co. Louth
Citizens Information Service in response to queries
we receive in relation to grants and supports
available to students going on to further education.
This book seeks to provide a comprehensive
information resource for college students and their
parents.
County Louth Citizens Information Service.
Telephone Dundalk
0761 07 5950
Drogheda
0761 07 5940
National Phone Service
0761 07 4000
Funded and supported by the Citizens Information
Board.
1
Contents:
Grants available for students
4
How to open a bank account
14
Renting
18
F.A.Q.’s
Money
Health
Consumer
Employment
23
26
27
30
Information Leaflets
35
Useful web sites
36
2
Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI)
Apply on-line through www.studentfinance.ie
Before going on-line you MUST have the
following details:
 E-mail address – this is vital as all
queries and tracking of applications will
use this as your reference
 Own PPS No.
 Parent(s) PPS No(s)
 Household Income Figures
Requests for P21 from revenue and Social
Welfare Statement (if required) should be
done on line to speed up process.





3
Available 9.00am – 8.00 Mon/Fri
Available 10.00am – 1.00pm
Saturdays
Email: support@susi.cdvec.ie
Telephone: 0761 08 7874
Facebook.com/susisupport
Grants available for students
applying to college in 2013
The Student Maintenance Grant is a means tested
grant for students. All new applications must now be
done online to a single awarding authority, Student
Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) through
www.studentfinance.ie
Note: Applications for grants for the 2013/14
academic year will open in mid-May, a month earlier
than usual. So even though Leaving Cert students
won’t have sat their exams by then, college hopefuls
are encouraged to start the process as early as
possible.
A maintenance grant is a contribution towards the
student’s living costs. In general, if you qualify for a
maintenance grant you will qualify for all elements of
the fee grant. Your college fees will be paid directly to
the college.
Students doing Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC)
courses do not get fee grants, but if you qualify for a
maintenance grant you will be exempt from the PLC
participant contribution.
For the PLC scheme, you must be aged at least 16
years at the time of entry to an approved course.
For the higher education schemes, you must be
aged at least 17 years of age on 1 January 2012.
4
To qualify for a maintenance grant, you must fulfill the
conditions of the scheme as regards:
 Nationality and immigration status
 Residence
 Means
You must also be attending an approved course in an
approved institution
Nationality and immigration status
In order to get a student grant you must satisfy one of
the following conditions:
1. Be a national of an EU member state or an
EEA member state or Switzerland
2. Be a family member of one of the above, with
permission to remain in the State as a family
member of such person under the European
Communities (Free Movement of Persons)
Regulations 2006 and 2008 and EU Treaty
rights provisions
3. Have refugee status
4. Have been granted humanitarian leave to
remain in the State (foreign nationals granted
leave to remain under the Irish Born Child
scheme - IBC/05 are not eligible)
5. Be eligible for subsidiary protection or have
been granted leave to remain under the
European Communities (Eligibility for
Protection) Regulations 2006.
6. Have permission to remain following a
determination not to make a deportation order
5
7. Have permission to remain in the State by
virtue of marriage to, or civil partnership with,
an Irish national living here or be the
dependent child of a person with such
permission
Residence
Since the academic year 2011-2012, you must have
been legally resident in the State for 3 of the previous
5 years to qualify for a maintenance grant. However,
if you are studying elsewhere in the EU for a
recognised qualification, and you were resident in the
State for 3 of the 5 years before starting that course,
you satisfy this requirement.
Means test
If you were ordinarily resident with your parents from
October 1 of the year before the year of entry to the
course, you are considered dependent on your
parents and your income (if any) is assessed
together with your parents' income(s). An allowance
is made for your earnings outside of term-time – up to
€3,809 currently.
Therefore, a student applying for a grant in 20132014 is means tested based on their family's income
for the previous full tax year i.e. 2012. However, if
you or your family have had a change of
circumstances (which is likely to be permanent) since
31 December 2012, your changed circumstances
may be taken into account.
6
Some social welfare payments are excluded from
'reckonable income' for the purposes of student
grants - see more details on reckonable income on
studentfinance.ie..
Budget 2012: The value of certain capital assets will
be taken into account in the means test for student
grants from 2013.
Income limits for maintenance grant and full fee
grant
The gross family income limits for eligibility for a
maintenance grant in 2013-2014 are set out below.
These limits also qualify you in respect of the fee
grant (if you are otherwise eligible).
Number of
dependent
children
Full
Maintenance
Part
Maintenance
75%
Part
Maintenance
50%
Part
Maintenance
25%
Less
than 4
€39,875
€40,970
€43,380
€45,790
4 to 7
8+
€43,810
€47,575
€45,025
€48,890
€47,670
€51,760
€50,325
€54,630
7
Special rate of grants for disadvantaged
students
Disadvantaged students who meet a number of
conditions can qualify for a special rate of
maintenance grant.
Applicants must have qualified for the standard
maintenance grant for the academic year 2013-2014
and total reckonable income in the tax year January
to December 2012 must not be more than €22,703,
net of Qualified Child Increases and standard
exclusions.
For students who are assessed on parent(s) /
guardian's income, their parent(s)/guardian must, on
31 December 2012, have been:



Claiming long-term social welfare payments, or
Claiming Family Income Supplement or
Participating in designated programmes (for
example, a FÁS training programme).
For students who are assessed on their own income,
on 31 December 2012 the student must have been
getting one of these social welfare payments or
participating in a designated programme.
8
Rates Changes in grant rates take effect in January
each year. The levels of maintenance grant
applicable for 2013 – 2014 are:
Type
Special Rate
Full Maintenance
75% Maintenance
50% Maintenance
25% Maintenance
Non-adjacent
Adjacent
€5,915
€2,375
€3,025
€1,215
€2,270
€910
€1,515
€605
€755
€305
Adjacent and non-adjacent rates
For students who live 45 kilometers or less from the
college being attended, the adjacent rate of
maintenance grant is payable. The non-adjacent rate
applies to everyone else.
Following initial assessment of your application, if
eligible, you will receive by post a provisional grant
approval and a personalised List of the supporting
documents required.
The documents required will include:




Long Form of Birth Certificate
Parents P21 PAYE Balancing Statement
(available from revenue)
Parents P60s for each employment
P45 if applicable
9


Letter from employer or pension scheme
administrator
Written Statement from Social Welfare
Income from maintenance, separation/divorce
agreements:
 Maintenance agreement, stating amount
received each month
 P21 PAYE Balancing Statement
 Evidence of maintenance payments and any
bills etc. covered as part of the agreement
Disposal of assets:
 Completed Disposal of Assets and Rights
table for 2012
Income from self-employment
including:
 Copy of accounts for each business
 Computation of Profit / Loss for income tax.
 Notice of assessment
Rent & other income from property:
 Copy of accounts for each business
 Computation of Profit / Loss for income tax
 Notice of assessment
All documentation will relate to the previous full tax
year. For entry in 2013-2014 this will be 2012
10
You can begin compiling these supporting documents
as soon as you have submitted an application, you
don’t need to wait for exam results.
Photocopies of the documents should be returned as
soon as possible. The responsibility is with you to
submit all the documentary evidence included in the
personalised list of supporting documents that will
issue to you from SUSI following the initial
assessment of your application. On receipt of the
supporting documents, SUSI will process your
application to award stage, subject to confirmation of
your acceptance on an approved course.
While you are required to submit photocopied
documents only, it is important to retain all the
originals as you may be asked to produce these at a
later stage.
When you confirm acceptance of a place on an
approved course (Aug/Sept) your grant is awarded
and payment will be made.
11
Changes to grants for Postgraduate Courses.
From 2012-2013 academic year there are changes to
this scheme. Postgraduates may get financial
assistance under the Student Grant Scheme with the
cost of tuition fees for approved postgraduate
courses in Ireland and Northern Ireland. There is
NO assistance under the scheme for courses
elsewhere in the EU.
There are 2 ways postgraduates may qualify for
assistance under the Student Grant Scheme.
1. Get a new flat rate fee contribution of €2,000 if
they pass the fee contribution means test
2. Get all their tuition fees paid (up to €6,270) if
they meet the qualifying conditions for the
special rate of grant for disadvantaged
students.
NO maintenance grant is paid to new postgraduate
students from 2012.
On-line applications are supported by a telephone
helpline manned by SUSI staff. Phone: 0761 08 7874
12
Important Note
If you complete a year of your course or even a part
year (Semester 1 and/or 2) and decide not to
continue, this will have implications for your free fees
year, Student Services charge AND your grant (if
applicable).
Under the free fees initiative a student can only
attend/complete ONE year of each year of their
course of education once. If you decide to switch
course or leave part way through or look to repeat a
year you MAY have to pay fees and lose your grant
for that same year/semester.
Free fees and/or grant payments apply for one 1st
year, one 2nd year, one 3rd year and if necessary one
4th year ONLY.
If you are unsure of the course you have chosen or
the course you find yourself in, please see your head
of department or the Admissions office BEFORE
October 31st in semester 1, or January 31st in
semester 2 and you may be able to switch/be
facilitated without losing your free fees/student
services charge or grant.
*Exceptional circumstances, on an individual basis,
may be considered by the college.
13
How to open a bank or building society
account
Before you decide where to open an account, get
information about what is available from banks,
building societies, credit unions and An Post.
Some banks offer special packages for students.
Check with different banks for offers.
Fees, charges and penalties
Before you open a current account, you need to
compare the various costs. Check what charges will
be attached to your account including:



Annual Fees and transaction charges
Penalties
Interest rates
If you decide to open an account with a bank or
building society, just visit one of their branches, ask
to open an account and fill out an application form.
14
What documents will you need?
By law, you must give the bank or building society:

Proof of your identity;
o Current valid passport or driving
licence.
o National Age Card
(Apply on-line at garda.ie) costs €10.00

Evidence of your address;
o Document issued by a Government
department showing your address
o Letter from a person in a position of
responsibility* (eg. Solicitor, doctor,
minister of religion or teacher)
*Check with the bank who they will accept as a
person in a position of responsibility.
You will have to supply two documents – one to
prove your identity and one to prove your address.
You cannot use the same document for both. Banks
and building societies must ask for these documents
under EU and Irish money laundering laws.
15
Dos and Don’ts when opening a bank account
DO




Make sure you have proof of your identity and
evidence of your address.
Ask about fees and charges on the account
you decide to open. Look at ways of using
your account to lower these charges.
Find out about banks that offer ‘free’ banking
and ask what conditions apply.
Read and understand all of the terms and
conditions. Ask for an explanation of anything
you don’t understand.
DON’T



Sign any document or form that you do not
understand.
Be afraid to ask about the different accounts
on offer.
Feel that you have to open an account
immediately – if you wish, take the information
to read at home.
16
Current account facilities
This is the most common account available and is a
convenient way to manage your short-term financial
needs as it is secure, flexible and easy to access. It
allows you to:






Receive payments (for example your student
grant or a transfer of money from your
parents.)
Get cash from your bank by using your ATM
card.
Pay for goods using your debit card.
For example top-up credit for your mobile.
Pay bills in your branch or by direct debit or
standing order.
Bank using the phone or internet.
Avail of an overdraft facility.
Choosing a current account
You should compare the different accounts by
looking at:
 Costs involved for the services you use most
 Convenience (which Bank has a branch in the
college you will be going to, remember, banks
are closed at weekends)
 Internet and phone access to your account
 Cards that are provided with your account
 Interest rate on overdrafts and any related
fees.
17

Penalty charges on your unpaid direct debits
and standing orders.
Renting
Looking for somewhere to rent
When considering accommodation, look at the area
for things like public transport to and from college (the
right location can save you money), local services
and amenities available. Check for signs of
dampness. Is there heating, lighting and ventilation?
Do the appliances provided work properly?
Check that your room has a window and adequate
ventilation. Check how many proper bed spaces
there are in the property and how many people
actually live there. A lack of space and privacy can
create tension between people.
Check that the area is safe, well-lit and fit to live in.
Who you are renting from?
Always meet a prospective landlord in the
accommodation. Ask for identification such as a
business card. Get the landlord’s full contact details,
including a landline telephone number and address.
18
Do I Need A Lease?
When renting, you can either sign a lease, a legally
binding contract, or make an informal agreement with
the landlord. A lease provides more security but you
have more flexibility with an agreement. If a landlord
offers you a lease you should only sign it if you are
happy with the terms (for example, don’t sign a 12
month lease if the college year is just nine months.
Try and negotiate a 9 month lease. If you are unsure
about signing a lease seek advice from Threshold
(the National Housing Association www.threshold.ie).
Make sure you read and understand the
agreement or contract before you sign.
What are your rights as a Tenant?
You are entitled to quiet and exclusive use of your
home and the landlord is not allowed to enter without
your permission except in an emergency.
You can have friends to stay overnight or for short
periods, but you must tell your landlord if someone
extra is moving in on a more full-time basis.
The Landlord has to give you at least 28 days notice
to vacate the premises
You have obligations too – to pay your rent on time,
keep the accommodation in good condition and not
cause damage or nuisance.
19
If you rent a room in your landlord’s house, your
rights as a renter are more limited. So make sure
you agree the rules in advance, such as the rent
level, period of the tenancy, notice periods and any
restrictions regarding visitors.
Security
Ask who to contact if you have a problem.
If you are anyway suspicious about the person you
are dealing with, for example if they refuse to give
you their details, will not sign an agreement or won’t
give you a receipt for your deposit, then contact the
Gardai immediately.
Check if anyone else has keys to the property.
Only agree to take the property when you are totally
satisfied. Get the keys and check that they open and
close the doors of the property.
Paying your deposit and rent
Never hand over cash. Pay the deposit and first
month’s rent by cheque (ask your parents!) or bank
draft and get the landlord’s bank details for future rent
payments. Always get a proper receipt on headed
paper. Only pay your deposit if you are certain that
you are planning to live in the accommodation – you
may lose your money if you change your mind.
20
How to Protect Your Interests
Make sure to keep all receipts and keep the rent
book up to date.
Record the condition of the property before you move
in to avoid any dispute with the landlord over the
deposit when moving out. If there is any damage to
the property or broken furniture point it out to the
landlord early on (and take photos as a record) so as
to avoid the landlord using this as a reason to keep
your deposit at the end of the tenancy.
Your personal belongings, phone, laptop etc., are not
covered by the landlords insurance so you may want
to take out your own insurance to cover valuable
items.
Noise
You should be able to live peacefully in your home
without disturbance from others. You should ensure
that you do not disturb others with loud music, late
night parties etc. Check the lease or house rules with
regard to noise levels. If you experience problems try
to resolve it with the person causing the problem. If
this is unsuccessful inform your landlord.
Your accommodation must meet minimum standards.
Notify the landlord immediately in writing of any
repairs needed and allow access for the work to be
done. Remember, it is an offence to with-hold rent
even in the event there is a dispute over repairs and
maintenance.
21
Electricity – be aware that you will be asked to pay a
€300 deposit (per house) before electricity will be
connected.
How to get your deposit back from Landlord
Following the tips below will ensure that your tenancy
is ended properly and you have a greater chance of
getting back your deposit when you leave.








Check your lease to see if you can give notice.
If notice can be given ensure that it is done in
writing and that you give the correct period of
notice
Make sure that all rent and bills are paid up to
date and the transfer of accounts is arranged
in advance.
Clean the property thoroughly and take
photographs of every room.
Remove all of your belongings.
Return the keys.
Your landlord does not have to return the
deposit on the day you leave but they must
promptly return your deposit. The landlord may
only keep some or all of the deposit to cover
rent arrears, bills or the costs of repairing any
damage above normal wear and tear.
Request receipts for all deductions made from
your deposit.
Keep records of all correspondence with your
landlord/agent.
22
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
MONEY
If I'm approved for the grant, but do not receive
payment by the time I start college, what
assistance is available?
There is no scheme which specifically supports
students approved for the grant but not as yet paid.
However, the Student Assistance Fund (each
college operate their own fund which you must apply
to) may be of help. Some banks provide bridging
loans for students who are awaiting their grant
payment and who can provide official documentary
evidence of approval. Check this out with student
banking officers in the college banks.
23
Student Assistance Fund
I am registered on an approved course and am
receiving a student grant. Can I also get the
Student Assistance Fund?
You are eligible to apply. Your grant will be taken into
account by your college in assessing your needs. The
decision on your application will be taken by the
college based on the information you provide (and, if
necessary, verify).
How much Student Assistance funding is
available to a student?
Amounts approved under the fund will vary,
depending on factors such as the needs of each
individual applicant and the overall level of demand
for the fund in the college.
Are students entitled to help with rent when they
go to college?
Students are not entitled to apply for rent allowance.
Can students sign on during the summer while
waiting for college to start in September?
No, students are unable to sign on during the
summer or during seasonal breaks as they are not
24
“available for and actively seeking full time
employment.
Can a student change course once the semester
has started?
If you complete a year of your course or even a part
year (Semester 1 and/or 2) and decide not to
continue this will have implications for your free fees
year, Student Services charge AND your grant (if
applicable).
Under the free fees initiative a student can only
attend/complete ONE year of each year of their
course of education once. If you decide to switch
course or leave part way through or look to repeat a
year you MAY have to pay fees and lose your grant
for that same year/semester.
Free fees and/or grant payments apply for one 1st
year, one 2nd year, one 3rd year and if necessary one
4th year ONLY.
If you are unsure of the course you have chosen or
the course you find yourself in, please see your head
of department or the Admissions office BEFORE
October 31st in semester 1, or January 31st in
semester 2 and you may be able to switch/be
facilitated without losing your free fees/student
services charge or grant.
*Exceptional circumstances, on an individual basis,
may be considered by the college.
25
HEALTH
Are students entitled to a Medical Card?
Full-time students aged 16-25 who are financially
dependent on their parents are normally only entitled
to a medical card if their parents have one.
Students who are financially independent of their
parents, for example, who have income from parttime work, and who satisfy the means test may be
entitled to a medical card. If you think you may
qualify for a medical card you can apply on line at:
medicalcard.ie or fill out an application form available
from the Health Board or any Citizens Information
Centre and post it to Client Registration Unit, P.O.
Box 11745, Finglas, Dublin 11.
A student getting Disability Allowance will generally
be entitled to a medical card.
26
Know Your Rights
Consumer:
I bought a shirt last week and now I have decided
that I want to change it and buy a different one.
Am I entitled to my money back?
If you simply change your mind about a product you
bought in a shop and decide you don't want to keep
it, you do not have any rights under consumer law.
However, some retailers may offer to accept returns
and give you an exchange or refund within a certain
amount of time after the purchase. This is shop policy
and a gesture of goodwill and NOT a legal
requirement.
27
Unwanted gifts
If the item was a gift which you would like to
exchange, some shops may exchange it if you have
a receipt. In this case, you will need the receipt or a
gift receipt from the person who gave it to you.
Gift vouchers
Be careful with gift vouchers
Gift vouchers can be exchanged for goods or
services up to their face value. There are different
types of gift vouchers depending on who issues
them, including those that can be used in:



A specific shop
A specific chain of shops
A wide range of different traders (for example,
for a specific shopping centre) or any club or
association of shops such as One4all
vouchers
You do not have the right to get change when you
use a gift voucher unless the voucher's terms
specifically state that change will be given.
Expiry dates vary widely. Some shops give you six
months to redeem your voucher, so a gift token you
received at Christmas and left in a drawer will be no
use by the following July.
28
Lost vouchers and receipts
If you lose a gift voucher, the shop doesn't have to
replace it. It's just like losing cash - so always keep
the voucher somewhere safe.
Paying a Deposit
A deposit is a payment you make to show that you
intend to buy a product or service. When you pay a
deposit, you enter into a contract with the supplier.
It's easier to know what your rights and
responsibilities are if you have the contract in writing,
but a verbal contract is also enforceable.
Remember, deposits are usually non-refundable. If
you pay a deposit and then change your mind about
the product or service, the supplier or seller may not
return your deposit.
If the shop goes out of business
If you pay a deposit and the shop or seller goes out
of business, it can be very difficult to get the goods or
your money back. Your needs will not be a priority for
the business if it goes into liquidation or receivership.
However, if you paid for the goods by credit or debit
card, your card provider can reverse the transaction.
This is called a chargeback. Contact your provider
immediately you become aware of the situation and
give them details of your transaction.
29
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
EMPLOYMENT
I work 16 hours at the weekend. What are my
holiday entitlements?
All employees, regardless of status or service, qualify
for paid holidays. All time worked qualifies for paid
holiday time.
Holiday entitlement can be calculated in one of three
ways depending on the total hours worked:
1. Four weeks (20 working days) if you work at
least 1,365 hours in the leave year, or
2. One-third of a working week for each month
that you work at least 117 hours, or
3. 8% of the hours worked in a leave year up to a
maximum of 4 working weeks.
So, for this example: 16hrs X 52wks = 832 hrs.
8% of 832 = 66 hrs. (4.13 weeks) Therefore your
holiday leave would be 4 working weeks. (The
maximum entitlement.)
30
Can I take an unbroken 2 week’s holiday?
Following 8 months work, you are entitled to an
unbroken period of 2 weeks holidays.
What is the situation regarding public holidays
and part-time workers?
Part-time workers must have worked a minimum of
40 hours in the 5 weeks preceding the public holiday
to qualify for public holiday benefit.
You are entitled to whichever of the following options
your employer determines:
a)
b)
c)
d)
A paid day off on the day.
A paid day off within a month of the day.
An extra day of annual leave.
An extra day’s pay.
I don’t normally work on the day the public
holiday falls, what is my position?
Even if you are not working on the actual day you are
still entitled to 1/5 of a normal weeks pay for that day,
once you have the 40 hours worked in the previous 5
weeks.
There are 9 public holidays in Ireland each year.
Public holidays may commemorate a special day or
other event, for example, St Patrick's Day (17 March)
31
On a public holiday, sometimes called a bank holiday,
most businesses and schools close. Other services,
for example, public transport still operate but often
with restricted schedules. The list of public holidays
each year is as follows:







New Year's Day (1 January)
St. Patrick's Day (17 March)
Easter Monday
First Monday in May, June, August
Last Monday in October
Christmas Day (25 December)
St. Stephen's Day (26 December)
Good Friday is not a public holiday. While some
schools and businesses close on that day, you have
no automatic entitlement to time off work on that day.
In a redundancy situation, are part-time workers
entitled to any redundancy payment?
If you have two years’ continuous service with the
same employer and are over 16 years of age, you
have the same entitlement to statutory redundancy
payment as full-time employees.
How is statutory redundancy calculated?
32
Two weeks wages for each year worked plus one
bonus week.
Therefore, if you worked for your employer for 3
years you would be entitled to 7 weeks wages
redundancy.
What is Minimum Notice?
The amount of notice you are entitled to by law will
depend on how long you have been working for your
employer.
Duration of employment
13 weeks to 2 years
2 years to 5 years
5 years to 10 years
10 years to 15 years
15 years or more
Minimum Notice
1 week
2 weeks
4 weeks
6 weeks
8 weeks
Your employer is obliged to give you the correct
minimum notice if they are letting you go from
employment.
If you are leaving your job, your employer is entitled
to a minimum of one week’s notice from you if you
have worked for 13 weeks. Your contract of
employment may require you to give more notice.
33
What can I do if my employer wants to reduce my
pay or hours of work
When your employer has a downturn in business or
there is less work for you to do, your employer may
ask you to take a pay cut or to work fewer hours. You
should consider this request very carefully. If your
employer's business activity is reduced, this may
mean that if you don’t accept a reduction in your
working hours or pay you may lose your job due to
redundancy. Any change to your contract of
employment must be agreed by both yourself and
your employer. If you do agree to a reduction, you
should make a point of asking for a review of the
position every 3 or 6 months when you should ask to
be restored to former wage rate/days worked as this
can impact on future entitlements should a
redundancy situation arise in the future.
34
Information Leaflets available free of charge from any
Citizens Information Centre
Include:
Title
Information for School
Leavers
Employment Rights
Explained
Part-Time Workers
Holidays & Leave from
work
Citizens Information
Leaflet
Renting for the first time
Guide to Renting
Being a Good Tenant
Published by
Citizens Information
Board
CIB
Weekly Spending Diary
Money Advice &
Budgeting Service
MABS
First Steps, Second
Thoughts, Third Level
35
CIB
CIB
CIB
Threshold
Threshold
PRTB
Useful websites
http://www.citizensinformation.ieCitizens Information
Provides free, confidential advice on Employment Rights,
Social Welfare Payments, Housing and Education &
Training
www.studentfinance.ie For detailed information on
student grants and finance.
www.accesscollege.ie For information on HEAR and
DARE schemes.
www.threshold.ie Threshold is a national organization
that provides free information, advice and advocacy
services for people with housing problems.
www.environ.ie PRTB Private Residential Tenancies
Board
www.mabs.ie MABS Money and Budgeting Service
www.workplacerelations.ie This Website provides
information on rights and obligations under employment,
equality, equal status and industrial relations legislation
and sets out the resolution and redress options available
where disputes or potential contraventions arise.
www.consumerconnect.ie The Consumer Protection
Agency provides information about consumer rights and
personal finance.
www.garda.ie Irelands National Police Service
36
for bursaries – focussing them on the students who
most need our support," he said.
The awards under the new scheme will be fixed at
€2,000 per student. The bursary will be an extra
support and incentive to recognise high achievement
for students who are from disadvantaged families and
attending DEIS schools.
Those students to whom bursaries are awarded will
also be entitled to apply for student grants towards
the cost of maintenance and the student contribution
or fees. 41% of all undergraduate students currently
receive a student grant and have their fees or student
contribution paid on their behalf.
These bursaries will be augmented by a small
number of bursaries focussed on students who
undertake studies in the STEM areas.
"They will be named the Walton Bursaries after
Ernest Walton - Ireland’s only Nobel laureate in
science, and the man who, with John Cockcroft,
became the first person to split the atom,” said the
Minister.
"We hope that these bursaries will help ensure a new
generation of Irish people strive to replicate his
achievements."
37
Opening Hours for Citizens Information Centres in
Dundalk and Drogheda.
Dundalk Citizens Information Office
4 Adelphi Court, Longwalk, Dundalk
Monday to Friday 9.30am – 12.00pm 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Phone: 0761 07 5950
Drogheda Citizens Information Office
1 Mayoralty Street, Drogheda
Monday to Friday 9.30am – 2.00pm & 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Phone: 0761 07 5940
Citizens Information National Phone Service
Monday to Friday 9.00am – 9.00pm
Phone: 0761 07 4000
38