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Student Accommodation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 October 2021

Wednesday, 13 October 2021

Questions (37, 54, 83, 91, 93)

Holly Cairns

Question:

37. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps he is taking to respond to the shortage of student accommodation. [49538/21]

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Marian Harkin

Question:

54. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department will consider funding the higher education institutions to support the construction of new affordable accommodation. [49760/21]

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Paul McAuliffe

Question:

83. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the supports available to assist universities in the construction of purpose-built student accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49813/21]

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Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

91. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps that are being taken to address the current student accommodation crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49838/21]

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Brian Stanley

Question:

93. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties students have faced in finding accommodation in 2021-2022; and the steps that can be taken to provide more suitable units for students. [49415/21]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 37, 54, 83, 91 and 93 together.

The Student Grant Scheme is a critical financial support for students participating in further and higher education. As in any statutory scheme, a core principle of the scheme is that there is consistency of approach and an equitable treatment for applicants as part of the means assessment process. All applications are assessed nationally with reference to the terms and conditions of the relevant student grant scheme. The terms and conditions of funding are applied impartially to all applicants.

The Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Act 2020 establishes the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment as a social insurance benefit scheme separate from other social protection statutory schemes including the Supplementary Welfare Allowance and Jobseeker Allowance and Jobseeker Benefit schemes.

For student grant purposes the Covid-19 payment has been treated as reckonable income for the SUSI means assessment process since it was introduced in March 2020. This means that the Covid-19 payment is treated in a similar fashion to other Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection payments such as Jobseekers Benefit/Allowance, thus ensuring a consistency of approach and an equitable treatment of students and their families in the SUSI means assessment process.

However, a very important feature of the scheme that I would point to is the change of circumstances provision. If a student or party to their application experiences a change in circumstances that is not a temporary change and is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, they can apply to SUSI to have their application assessed under the change in circumstances provision of the relevant Student Grant Scheme. The income of all parties to the application will be assessed or reassessed on current income and applicants may also be asked to provide evidence of same.

Such a change in circumstances would clearly include no longer being in receipt of a pandemic unemployment payment. Students will no longer receive the PUP from early September, in line with normal circumstances where students do not qualify for unemployment payments while at college.

An applicant can request a review by contacting the SUSI Support Desk at 0761 087 874 or emailing support@susi.ie.

The change of circumstances provision is a well-established procedure and it can also operate at scale. For example, over 10,000 applicants declared a change of circumstance in the 2020/21 academic year and some 40% of these applications related to COVID-19. I am confident that the application of this provision will continue to allow the scheme to be flexible and responsive to people's circumstances.

Any student who believes his/her student grant application has been assessed incorrectly may also avail of the opportunities to appeal to SUSI and subsequently to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.

Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.

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