Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 March 2023
300. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department will examine the case of a person (details supplied) with a view to intervening and facilitating SUSI to use discretion. [12067/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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.
As per Article 14 (2) of the Student Grant Scheme 2022, a student is not eligible for a grant if they have been awarded or hold a grant, scholarship, prize, allowance or bursary which is made from public funds in the State, or equivalent from a Member State, the EEA or Swiss Confederation with the exception of awards from public funds listed at Article 14(3). Article 14 (4) states that a student will not be eligible for a fee grant or a postgraduate fee contribution if in receipt of any award mentioned in Article 14 (3) which includes a provision for fees.
With regard to the specific application, I have been advised by my officials that an ineligibility letter was issued from SUSI to the student in question on 27th January 2023 as they were in receipt of the President’s Scholarship from Mary Immaculate College which included a provision for fees.
The student subsequently appealed to SUSI and was turned down by the Appeals Officer on 21st February 2023 on the basis that the President’s Scholarship from Mary Immaculate College is a publicly funded scholarship which includes a provision for fees. In line with Article 14(4) of the Student Grant Scheme 2022, any student or tuition student in receipt of any award mentioned in paragraph (3) which includes a provision for fees will not be eligible for a fee grant or a postgraduate fee contribution under this Scheme.
I have been further advised by my officials that SUSI will contact the student in question to discuss whether or not it would be financially in her favour to return the fee part of the scholarship.
Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended.
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.
