Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2022
117. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his strategy to support students impacted by domestic violence including access to SUSI supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6372/22]
View answerThe main support available to students is the Student Grant Scheme managed by SUSI. The scheme provides maintenance and fee grant support for qualifying students who meet the criteria regarding means, nationality, residency and progression. In 2020/21 over 101,000 students applied for grant support with almost 80,000 students assessed as eligible for support.
The decision on eligibility for student grant assistance is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI to determine.
The overall arrangements implemented by SUSI for the administration of student grants seek to accommodate sensitively difficult circumstances affecting applicants which include but are not confined to family estrangement, differing marital circumstances of dependent applicants’ parents, state and foster care, orphanhood, unaccompanied minor immigrants and exceptional circumstances impacting on a student’s attendance on their course. Many of these circumstances are explicitly recognised in the governing legislation and SUSI also recognises them throughout its processes, including from the point of application and has established specific procedures for their sensitive handling throughout. In assessing the evidence presented, SUSI will have regard to the particular circumstances in each case and the corroborative nature of the evidence available to support the student’s grant application.
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 awarding authority. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by the SUSI Appeals Officer they can then, submit an appeal to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
In terms of other supports available to 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. The SAF is available to assist students who are unable to meet costs associated with day-to-day participation in higher education, including:
- books and other class material that are required to enable students to continue and participate in teaching and learning and/or complete examinations
- rent, heating and lighting bills and other utility bills e.g., mobile phone data plans, that are required to enable students to continue and participate in teaching and learning and/or complete examinations
- food
- essential travel
- childcare costs
- medical costs
- family difficulties e.g., bereavement
The above list is not exhaustive, eligible costs are decided on a case by case basis by the access office in line with the scheme guidelines. Information on the fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis. The Access Officers work with students to see how they can be supported financially through the Student Assistance Fund in meeting the costs associated with day-to-day participation in higher education. As part of the package of COVID19 supports for 2020 and 2021 the level of baseline core funding was doubled by providing an additional €8.1m in each of those two years. In addition to these increases I announced another additional funding of €1.3 million for the Student Assistance Fund last Thursday as I have listened to the voice of students, who have clearly articulated that COVID and the increased cost of living is having a major impact on the financial situation of students and their families. This additional funding means that a total of €18.5m has been made available to students who find themselves in financial need during the 2021/2022 academic year.
In addition in 2021, a further €5 million was allocated to the higher education institutions to support student mental health and wellbeing. This funding allocated by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) included €2m delivered through the Recurrent Grant Model to Higher Education Institutions along with an additional €3m secured as part of the 2021 Covid-19 response package.
HEIs were requested to allocate funds towards student-facing services such as:
- Recruitment of additional Student Counsellors;
- Recruitment of additional Assistant Psychologists;
- Head of service posts for those HEIs employing more than 2 FTEs;
- Training of HEI staff to enable them to support and refer students to appropriate services;
- Raising awareness among students of mental health and wellbeing services available, including through student outreach activities;
- Implementation of the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework;
- Implementation of the Framework for Consent in HEIs; Safe, Respectful, Supportive and Positive: Ending Sexual Harassment in Irish Higher Education Institutions.
HEIs were advised that the funding allocations were additional and intended to enhance rather than displace existing provision of student supports in the areas of mental health and wellbeing. HEIs were advised to make provision for the sustainability of any supports funded under this allocation, as it was for the 2021-2022 academic year only.
Details of the allocations to each higher education institution in 2021 are available at:www.gov.ie/en/press-release/e297d-financial-and-mental-health-wellbeing-supports-to-students-worth-22-million-announced-by-minister-harris/
