Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 February 2024
619. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the work that has been undertaken to include payments incurred by families under the fair deal scheme for care in the consideration of eligibility for the SUSI grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6450/24]
View answerThe assessment of means under the Student Grant Scheme is carried out by SUSI and is based on reckonable income, which is gross income from all sources in the previous financial year (1 Jan to 31 Dec), before the deduction of income tax or the universal social charge. There is no allowable deduction for payments made under the Fair Deal Scheme.
The Fair Deal scheme is operated by the HSE (Health Service Executive). As part of the financial assessment process for the Fair Deal Scheme, the HSE considers all of the persons income and assets and makes reasonable deductions in relation to a dependent child in full time education. Assessment takes place once when people apply to the scheme and again after they have been in care for 3 years, and a person can request a reassessment of their own contributions up to once a year.
More detailed information in relation to the financial assessment under the Fair Deal Scheme should be directed to the HSE who will be in a position to respond directly.
