Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 December 2012
26. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the selection panel criteria the reason Student Universal Support Ireland was specifically chosen; the cost saving the State has incurred to date by centralising the student grant award and payments function through SUSI; and the persons who were on the independent selection panel and the way they were chosen. [54892/12]
View answerOn the basis of the review carried out by the independent selection panel at the initial stage of the Expressions of Interest process, four of the ten proposals received were short-listed for oral presentation. Following oral presentation these proposals were assigned a ranking depending on their relative strengths under each of the evaluation criteria leading to the preferred proposal. Based on the marks awarded by the panel City of Dublin VEC's proposal was the preferred proposal and the selection panel made a recommendation to the Minister for Education and Skills to establish Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) as a unit of City of Dublin VEC.
Initially, during the transition period, which migrates the administration from the local authorities and VECs to SUSI, costs are estimated to exceed savings for years one and two, as the 66 grant awarding authorities are processing renewal grant applications, as well as SUSI processing all new grant applications, However, it is estimated that for future years there will be a saving on the overall cost of grants administration.
The composition of the independent selection panel was as follows: 1. Mr. Pat McLoughlin (Chair) - Chief Executive of the Irish Payment Services Organisation (former Chief Executive of the Eastern Health Board, chair of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group and a member of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes); 2. Mr. Jim Duffy - Former Assistant Secretary at the Department of Finance with responsibility for the Centre for Management and Organisation Development (CMOD); 3. Mr. Gerry Kearney - Former Secretary General of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs with significant experience with programme management and also former Assistant Secretary of the Revenue Commissioners. The members of the selection panel were chosen with reference to their relevant knowledge, their significant experience and expertise in the various elements that would be involved in the administration of student grants.
