Jack Wall
Question:210. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the mechanism available to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6534/14]
View answerTuesday, 11 February 2014
Questions (210)
Written answers
Officials in my Department have been informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy was awarded a grant towards fees. The student was not awarded a grant towards maintenance as he is in receipt of Back to Education Allowance from the Department of Social Protection. Under the provisions of the Student Grant Scheme a student is not eligible for a maintenance grant if he or she is in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance. Article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme allows for the review of eligibility during the academic year if there is a permanent change in circumstances, relating to a number of events, including a drop in reckonable income which is likely to obtain for the duration of the approved course or for the foreseeable future. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the appeals officer in 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 Grant Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form is available to download from http://www.studentfinance.ie/downloads/1375344221/2013_SGAB_appeal_form.pdf.