Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 November 2011
57 Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the nationality requirements with which an applicant must comply in order to be deemed eligible under the student grant scheme 2011-12; if a stamp 2 visa qualifies a person; if the applicant will qualify when they are a dependant applicant and their parent receives Irish citizenship through naturalisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31938/11]
View answerThe decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority — local authority or VEC.
The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form, including those relating to nationality, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would qualify for a grant. However, the nationality requirements for the student grant scheme are set out in section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations 2011. In summary, it is the student, and not his/her parents, that must meet the nationality requirements in their own right to qualify for a student grant. Students are advised to contact their local grant awarding authority for clarification on particular aspects of the student grant scheme, where this is needed, relative to their own particular circumstances.
