Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I understand the Deputy is referring to how students are categorised for student grant purposes. For such purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances - as students dependent on their parents or legal guardians, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent mature student if he or she has attained the age of 23 on 1 January of the year of first entry to an approved course, or of re-entry following a break in studies of at least three years, and is not ordinarily resident with his or her parents from the previous October. Otherwise, he or she continues to be assessed on the basis of parental income. Only in exceptional cases, where compelling evidence of estrangement from parents or guardians is provided, can candidates who are under the age of 23 be assessed without reference to the incomes or addresses of their parents or guardians. While satisfying the criteria outlined may cause some difficulties for certain students, I have no plans to change these eligibility arrangements.

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