Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 December 2013
99. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason special rate of higher education grant is not payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52407/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that, in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, the standard rate of grant has been awarded. To qualify for the special rate of grant an applicant must meet the following conditions: 1, reckonable income must not exceed €22,703; and 2, on the 31st December of the relevant period the reckonable income must include an eligible long-term social welfare payment prescribed under the scheme. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by SUSI, and remains of the view that SUSI has not interpreted the scheme correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the Student Grants Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form is available to download from http://www.studentfinance.ie/downloads/1375344221/2013_SGAB_appeal_form.pdf.
