Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection

Third Level Student Grant System: Discussion with SUSI

2:25 pm

Photo of Fidelma Healy EamesFidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is the third time SUSI has appeared before the committee. All of the questions and issues raised by Deputy Dooley were raised in the previous two committee meetings. I commence by saying it was a crisis. Once it gave the exact contact numbers for Deputies and Senators I saw a huge improvement. I state categorically that Mr. John Conroy helped me with the most complex case that ever came before my office. The family in question had been refused three times. That was not right. Once we got a lead-in to a person who looked at a very complex case, both grants for that family were granted at two different levels. One was adjacent and one was non-adjacent. I compliment him on that. Communication was a huge issue. I found it has improved and is no longer a huge issue. I respectfully say to Deputy Dooley that, perhaps, because he is not a member of the committee he did not have the same information. It is an issue for SUSI to ensure the information gets out to all Oireachtas representatives.

Will SUSI clarify the maximum income a person can earn to qualify for the various grant levels? I understand it is between €39,800 and €54,000. I have encountered some incredibly complex cases, for example, a family where there is a PAYE income and a spouse in a business that is losing money. Let us assume the PAYE person is on the maximum of €54,000 or, for the sake of argument, €75,000, and if, as Deputy Ray Butler said, the spouse is in a business that is losing money and has losses of, say, €40,000, does that family still qualify for a grant, even though one income exceeds the threshold? Is it the net family income that counts? I would appreciate a clear answer to that question.

I have a son who is finishing his leaving certificate today. Given that the dates are being brought how will that benefit students as the child or the family will not know which college the child will enter. It could be Galway, Dublin, Limerick or Cork. How can students apply for a grant without knowing where they will be? How is that a genuine, authentic application? Will it not mean double the work once the child accepts the offer of a college place?

I wish to refer to a matter raised by Deputy Dooley. We got a commitment at one point, if I am correct, from universities and colleges around the country - certainly from Galway - that no student would be disadvantaged in terms of access to, say, the library if SUSI was slow. Can the witnesses verify how many colleges gave that commitment to SUSI?

The examination situation is very serious. I understand from what Deputy Dooley has said that the students were allowed sit the examination but did not have the examination results presented to them because that information needs to go on the record. Which colleges are we speaking about? It would be a huge disadvantage, especially if they are final examinations. If they are final examinations and as some colleges have wonderful internships available they could be dependent on examination results. Therefore, we need accuracy.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.