Mr. Bryan O'Mahony:

When we look at the proposed changes relating to SUSI and raising thresholds, we are not really getting to the main changes that need to happen with SUSI in respect of students facing estrangement. They are the ones who are always being left behind when it comes to SUSI. No matter how many thresholds we increase, they will still be forgotten by the system. We have students who may be financially or contact estranged from their families. They cannot get court letters because maybe it did not go to the courts. It may have happened after they turned 18 and did not happen with regards to Tusla. Every year, we are told that SUSI is now increasing how many different letters and how many different details it will take that will make students pass through the estrangement loopholes, but they are not there. Every year we have the same things: a court letter or Tusla. These students are being failed. I have had these students in my office crying and breaking down. We are trying to send them to St. Vincent de Paul to try to get that education bursary instead. The fact is I have to send them to someone else because the State is failing them. Consistently over the years we have always brought up estrangement, but we still see no feasible change for students facing estrangement in getting their third level education supported by the State.