Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
583. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a person who is on a stamp 4 and is the dependant of a naturalised Irish citizen can avail of SUSI grant assistance. [18031/22]
View answerThe nationality requirements for the Student Grant Scheme are set out in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations 2022. The candidate's nationality or immigration status in the State determines whether or not she or he meets the nationality requirement outlined in the Act and Regulations, and would be therefore eligible to qualify for a student grant.
The decision on eligibility for student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). The onus is on the grant applicant to provide the necessary documentary evidence as requested by the grant awarding authority.
Permission to remain in the State on the basis of a Stamp 4 Visa, of itself, does not meet the nationality requirements of the Student Grant Scheme 2022, however a dependent child of a person who has acquired Irish Citizenship by naturalization, residing in the State is a qualifying category for student grant purposes.
Article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2022 provides for a review of eligibility for the award of a grant in the event of a change of circumstances in the academic year. This includes a change in relation to a student's nationality or immigration status. Where a student acquires Irish citizenship by naturalisation, or is granted one of the permission to remain criterion provided for in the Act or Regulations during the course of their studies, she or he may apply to SUSI to have their application re-assessed.
In instances 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 may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe. Such appeals can be made by the appellant on line via www.studentgrantappeals.ie
