Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a third level student (details supplied) in County Mayo may expect their application for a higher education grant to be processed. [45633/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority, that further supporting documentation was received on 12 October 2012 from the student referred to by the Deputy. The documentation is currently awaiting review and the student will be notified directly of the outcome.

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is not eligible for a non adjacent grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45644/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority. The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form and supporting documentation, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student should qualify for a maintenance grant or which rate of grant he should be awarded.

I understand from officials in County Sligo VEC, the relevant grant awarding authority, that further documentation from the student referred to by the deputy is outstanding and a decision in relation to his grant application for 2012/13 has not been made. When the outstanding documentation is returned to the grant awarding authority the student will be notified directly of the outcome. If the applicant is unhappy with the decision in relation to his grant application he/she may appeal the decision of the grant awarding authority to its appeals officer. Where the appeals officer decides to reject the appeal, the applicant may appeal this decision to my Department or the independent appeals board, as appropriate.