Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to agree with colleagues regarding the 100th anniversary of the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. It has had huge achievement over that 100 years, and long may it continue. We have been very good and successful with regard to both the democratic system and the management of expenditure in this country. It is a job well done over the past 100 years, and may it continue.

I welcome our guests here this morning, and I will open with the issue of SUSI grants and the process for them. One of the particular problems I have had over the past two years has been where there was a variation in the parents' income from one era to another, and it particularly applies where someone has been out on sick leave. They have been genuinely out, and then income levels have dropped. For instance, I know of one application where I was going back and forth on behalf of an applicant, and the parents were as well, for over eight months.

I wonder about the SUSI grant process. There is no process, really, for Oireachtas Members to put forward an argument for an applicant. For instance, I can ring Revenue at the moment with regard to an issue, or email it. On most occasions, within 48 hours, I will get a response from Revenue, and in a lot of cases, it will contact the person who has the issue directly as a result of the representation.

I find the SUSI grant representation process an absolute disaster. We cannot talk to anyone. We find that the replies we get are just a box-ticking exercise. I ask that it be reviewed. Will the Department look at this issue? It is not satisfactory from our point of view or from the view of parents. I know of one parent who has three children in third level education at the same time. This person is totally frustrated trying to make ends meet and just not getting anywhere with the applications.