Unacceptable grant delay

Kalimah

I am at my wits end. I applied for a grant for my son who is in DIT. He is is 4th year and this was the first time to apply for a grant. I only expected maybe half the student services fee to be covered (all if they took changed circumstances into account) which is fine. We sent all the documentation last August. They asked for more documentation in November which I supplied. Heard nothing at all after.
In Jan/Feb after having given DIT half the reg fee I folloowed up with County Dublin VEC. You can only ring them Monday Wednesday and Friday from 9.30 to 12.30. I have had them on speed dial any number of day and all I get is a message saying phones are busy-ring later etc. Actually I'm trying them now and they are clearly not answeeing the phone.
I emailed them a number of times and I've gotten fob offs saying it will be dealt with in due course. I have compeletly lost patience now. We're nearly at the end of the academic year and there is STILL no answer.
I even emailed my local TD and not even an acknowledgement. I was under the impression that the Minister for the Environment administered the grant scheme but seemingly no. When I emailed them they fobbed me off to the minister for education.
If I don't get an answer soon my son's library access will be revoked and he will not be able to sit exams.

achmairt

Best thing for u to do is pay the balance of the reg fee and it will all be refunded to u once they have it assessed. They obviously put all the forms which are missing documents to one side and they are done at the very end when all the other ones are done first. Beg borrow or steal the balance of the reg fee coz it might not be assessed in time for the exams.

Kalimah

achmairt wrote: »

Best thing for u to do is pay the balance of the reg fee and it will all be refunded to u once they have it assessed. They obviously put all the forms which are missing documents to one side and they are done at the very end when all the other ones are done first. Beg borrow or steal the balance of the reg fee coz it might not be assessed in time for the exams.

There is nothing missing from the application. I practically gave them my vital statistics! Balancing statements. 2 P60s , certs. Offer of course from college. Exam results. I sent a very angry email demanding an answer and will be on to the minister of education next if I don't get one.

Tree

I would suggest writing physical letters as well as emails (especially where local representitives are involved, TDs and councillors dont understand that email is like a letter).

achmairt

It is very important to have ALL the documents enclosed with the application. If they have to write to you asking for more documents, this delays the whole process and this is why you have problems now. If they answered all the phone calls, they would get no work done. It's a vicious circle and something the politicians cannot do anything about due to the cap on recruitment in the public service.

Strat64

That's an awful one altogether!.

You should call in to them and lay it on thick, at least if they can put a face to the forms they might take an active interst. This T.D craic drives me mad, there shouldn't be need for pull when it comes to getting a grant but again calling into a local office might be a shout. Also see can your son go to the student services in the college and see is there an in-house grant he can apply for. Get him to lay it on thick with them as well. they might give ye a little wiggle room that way.
I'm in fourth year as well and this years been seriosly tight. The last installment of the grant should be in in the next couple of weeks so they should surely process it by then presuming they give some level of priority to students who haven'y got their fees paid yet!. I've got a loan on the strength of my grant a few times before as well actually , he might be able to do that, pay his fees and then pay the bank back when it eventually comes in. All he'd need there is an approval letter if you can get one!. really hope you get sorted. it's an awful dose.

Annasopra

Can you call into Dublin VEC offices physically and tell them you are not leaving until you get to speak to someone about the application.

icicle2000

I'm in SDCC, and have had a reassessment this year, I had all of my documentation in by September, and only heard back from them in late January. Useless post, but you're not the only one, I'm afraid. It's sad.

scheister

the grand system is this country can be very very bad at times and is done alphabetically is well so if your lower end of the alpabet seems tough luck. You have spoken that you went to your local TD and got no where, try your local Cllr there is a change he or a fellow party Cllr is on the local VEC and might be able to sped it up that what i did and suddenly went from being told you will be looked at in 5 months to having the cheque in my hand 3 days later

markc1184

I was in the same boat as yourself this time last year. Constantly being told I needed to send additional items, many of which had been posted with the initial application. Around January I got a local TD involved who gladly helped out and eventually the fees were payed a week after I'd finished my exams in May! My original application had been posted in August and took almost 10 months to be completed. Keep plugging away at them and hopefully yours will be sorted soon too.