Student grant reform on hold due to budgetary problems

A spokesperson for the Minister for Education has admitted that reform of the student grant system is being put on hold for "budgetary reasons".

Even though work on the new Student Support Bill is almost complete, there is no money there to transfer responsibility for student grants to the VEC sector.

It had been hoped that the changes to the third-level grant system would make applying for a grant much easier for students and reduce the amount of bureaucracy involved.

The Department of Education says the matter is to be kept under review.

Labour has strongly condemned the decision to postpone the introduction of the new reforms.