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Student Grant Scheme Applications

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 November 2012

Tuesday, 13 November 2012

Ceisteanna (269, 306, 307)

Joe McHugh

Ceist:

269. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the efficacy of an agency (details supplied) of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49602/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Kyne

Ceist:

306. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans to review the Student Universal Support Ireland grant system as operated by the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee before the start of the next academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50128/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

307. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the way in which the Student Universal Support Ireland online systems operates in relation to serving students who are awaiting payments in respect of their third level grants; the action he will take to speed up payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50158/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 269, 306 and 307 together.

Up until last year, students applied to their local authority or VEC for their grants. Some 66 grant awarding authorities were involved, all using a variety of application, assessment and payment processes. Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) replaces all of these with a centralised, and on-line system of application. The centralisation of the service enables the introduction of service level improvements on an incremental basis, which heretofore was difficult given the number of agencies involved. An example of this is that all new student grants approved for this academic year will be paid by electronic funds transfer on a monthly basis directly to students' bank accounts, rather than by cheque to the relevant college. The introduction of the on-line application is an enormous improvement on the cumbersome paper-based application form that preceded it. By introducing devices such as drop-down menus, compulsory fields and individual-relevant questions, it has ensured a much higher level of quality of completion at that part of the process.

However, I understand from SUSI that what it could not have anticipated was the level of incorrect or incomplete supporting documentation subsequently submitted in support of applications. This has created bottlenecks in the system which SUSI is currently dealing with. My Department is ensuring that it has the resources and personnel to do so. Payments to new students commenced on the 19th October and will continue on a weekly rolling basis as grants are approved and bank details are supplied online by the student to ensure that students receive their payments as soon as possible.

A full review of the first year of operation of the grants system as operated by SUSI, a unit of City of Dublin VEC is planned in advance of the opening up of the application process for the 2013/14 academic year.

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