Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 November 2012
301. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students that applied for a student grant this year; the number that applied last year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49964/12]
View answerTo date Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) has received just over 66,000 applications for student grants this year, with close on 9,500 were late applications received after the closing date of 31st August 2011. SUSI are continuing to accept late applications. This data has been supplied to my Department by SUSI.
A survey completed by the grant awarding authorities in January each year provides details in relation to processing of grant applications as at the third week in January. The processing position as at the 21 January 2012 in relation to new applications was that a total of 66,479 application were received across the 66 awarding authorities of which 8,844 which includes which were transferred to another local authority or VEC to whom it was appropriate, which meant that the total number of applications to be processed by these bodies was 57,635 in 2011/12. This data has been compiled from data supplied to my Department by the 66 grant awarding authorities.
