Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 April 2013
269. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider altering the definition of a dependent student for the purposes of the student grant; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the definition in its current form leads to unfairness when those under the age of 23 years receive no financial support from their parents/legal guardians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18564/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraFor student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent mature student if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course or of re-entry following a break in studies of at least three years and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous 1 October. Otherwise he/she would continue to be assessed on the basis of his/her parents' income.
In recognition of the fact that a student under 23 yeas of age can be estranged from his/her parents, it is possible under the student grant scheme, as an exceptional measure, for such a candidate to be assessed without reference to his/her parents/guardians income or address. However, compelling independent evidence of estrangement must be provided to the grant awarding authority to enable this. The type of independent evidence includes a letter from a social worker or other appropriate officer of the Health Service Executive explaining the circumstances of the estrangement. Confirmation that a candidate is living separately from his/her parents/guardians is not sufficient.
