Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 September 2014
431. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a higher education grant was refused for the second year when granted for the first year in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if eligibility will be reviewed in view of the family's dependence on social welfare assistance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35235/14]
View answerUnder the terms and conditions of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the student referred to by the Deputy was awarded a grant covering fees for the 2012/13 academic year. However, his student grant application for the 2014/15 academic year was refused on the basis that the reckonable income exceeds the prescribed limit for the award of grant assistance. SUSI advised that a member of their assessment team spoke to the applicant's father on the 20th August 2014 to confirm the household income, and a letter was subsequently issued to the student on the 29th August 2014 advising that he was not eligible 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.
