Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism
Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed)
Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I am just conscious of time and the Chair might indulge me with one further question. We have mentioned time, and the other big issue is money. In my experience, the SUSI grant is not autism friendly, not least if the student struggles during the year. I am not speaking specifically about UCD but I have come across several instances of students who have begun first year, really struggled and tried to rebuild themselves during the summer with a view to returning to complete the year, and it is torture to try to get through the SUSI process unless there is some sort of resource within the college that works with the student and gives us the paperwork we need to get that student through. I apologise if I am putting Ms Tonge on the spot, but should we do something within SUSI whereby it would be easier to get support and whereby there would be additional supports within the SUSI grant?