Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2020
406. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the situation many students face due to the lack of income and employment available to them over the summer months which might otherwise have been available; if she is considering income supports for such students; and if she has had discussions with the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection in connection with the issue. [13969/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am conscious of the difficulties being experienced by students and their families as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and of the importance of the Student Grant Scheme and related supports, such as the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. These supports have a fundamental role in assisting families who are putting their children through further and higher education.
Accordingly, the following arrangements have been put in place:
For the 2020/21 academic year, student grant applications will be assessed based on gross income from all sources for the period 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019.
If a student or party to their application experiences a change in circumstances that is not a temporary change and is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, they can apply to have their application assessed under the change in circumstances provision of the relevant Student Grant Scheme. Following such a review, the applicant may fall within the thresholds to become eligible for grant assistance or be entitled to an increased rate of grant or the special rate of grant.
The Student Grant Scheme provides for different levels of income thresholds where families have (i) less than 4 dependent children (ii) between 4 and 7 dependent children and (iii) 8 or more dependent children. In recognition of the additional cost to families where more than one person is attending college, income thresholds may also be increased by up to €4,830 for each additional family member attending college at the same time. In this way, the Student Grant Scheme is responsive to the individual circumstances of particular families.
The income threshold for the special rate of grant has been increased from €24,000 to €24,500 for the 2020 scheme, so as to ensure that students from families dependent on welfare will continue to be eligible for the special rate of grant. (This reflects the Budget 2019 increase to the maximum point of the weekly State Contributory Pension, plus maximum Qualified Adult Allowance for a person over 66 years).
Further information in relation to student grant assistance is available from SUSI’s website, www.susi.ie. The telephone number for SUSI’s Helpdesk is 0761 087 874.
My officials have been in contact with their counterparts in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. They have advised me that full-time students who had part-time employment when the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment was introduced in March, can avail of this support payment.
It was announced on June 5th that the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will now be extended from 9 June until Phase 5 of the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business (currently scheduled to begin on 10 August). I welcome this decision which further supports students who have lost their income due to the pandemic.
Although there will now be a two level payment structure to link the Pandemic Unemployment Payment level to prior earnings, no person on the lower rate of payment will receive less on PUP than they were previously paid by their employer.
The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) provides financial assistance to students experiencing financial difficulties while attending third level. Students can be assisted towards the rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. The total allocation for the SAF is €9.1 million which includes an additional €1m added to the Fund in 2017 for part-time students who are lone-parents or members of the other access target groups. Prior to that the fund supported full-time students only. In December 2018 a further €1 million was added to the Fund for students attending Professional Masters of Education courses, who are experiencing financial difficulty. This funding continued into 2019 and 2020. Institutions have the autonomy to maximise the flexibility in the Student Assistance Fund to enable HEIs to support students during the COVID-19 situation.
In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student’s local Tax Office or from the Revenue Commissioners website, www.revenue.ie
