Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 June 2014
54. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the supports in place for parents of multiple birth children in respect of the transition from second to third level education (details supplied). [26375/14]
View answerThe assessment of means under my Department's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources. The means test arrangements of the student grant scheme are applied nationally. In the case of both employed and self-employed applicants, gross income is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded. There are no particular supports in place through SUSI for parents of multiple birth children in relation to the transition from secondary to third level education. However, the Deputy may be aware that various income thresholds apply depending on the number of dependent children in a family and/or the number of relevant persons attending further or higher education.
Officials in my Department have been informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the three students referred to by the Deputy applied for student grants for the academic year 2014-2015 and each was refused as the reckonable income for their household was in excess of the maximum allowable in order to qualify for funding. 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 the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form is available to download from http://www.studentfinance.ie/downloads/1375344221/2013_SGAB_appeal_form.pdf.
