Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 March 2023
253. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which the higher education grant or similar payment can be made available to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16038/23]
View answerUnder the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by an appeals officer in 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 (i.e. not later than 30 days after the notification of the determination of the appeals officer to the applicant). Such appeals can be made by the appellant on line via www.studentgrantappeals.ie.
The student referred to by the deputy supplied official documentation to SUSI in relation to legal guardianship for the academic years 200/21 and 2021/22 and was deemed eligible for the Special Rate of grant.
For the 2022/23 academic year, the applicant submitted their renewal application , however the details of the legal guardianship provided through court order documentation differed from the previous academic years. Confirmation of new guardianship was requested and not was not submitted by student.
As the original guardian was not included on the renewal application, the application was cancelled giving the applicant an opportunity to reapply with the details of their court appointed legal guardian.
A letter dated 24 Nov 2022 was issued to the applicant which confirmed SUSI was unable to be process the application and gave instructions on how to reapply.
If the applicant wishes to reapply, she can request a late application as the online application system for the 2022/23 academic year has closed. Details of the late application process can be found on the SUSI website www.susi.ie/how-to-apply/late-applications-process/index.html
