Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the office of the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter and the Minister for being in the Chamber to take it. This issue has come to my attention in the past few weeks and concerns students who have applied for third level grants. I will give details of three cases in which people were awarded grants and then had them taken back in different circumstances which was upsetting for them and their families. I acknowledge that we know about the difficulties SUSI had when it was first set up. With the assistance of the Minister, the kinks in the system have been ironed out and it is working much better this year. Students who have contacted me are being paid on time, which is welcome. When I heard about the first student in the past few weeks, I thought it was unfortunate; then, on hearing it had happened a second time, I thought it was unlucky; but on the third occasion I thought a pattern was forming. When I ran it by some of my colleagues, I found it was happening across the country. I do not have the exact number which might be quite small, but it should not be happening.

The first case involves a student in Galway who received a grant in first year. The grant was paid up to Christmas in second year, but after Christmas it was no longer paid and the student was not notified that it had been stopped. When he went to see what was going on, he was not given straight answers as to why he was not receiving the grant. When he received an answer, he was told he had been receiving the back to education allowance, which came as a surprise to him because he had never sought, applied for or qualified for it. It was used as a reason he was not receiving the grant. I cannot understand why he had the grant taken from him after it had been awarded to him.

The second case involves a student from Galway who is studying in Limerick. He was told in 2012 that he would receive full fees and a maintenance grant. Some months later he found out that he was only receiving the contribution fees for a course that finished in 2013. He did not have the money in the first place, which was why he was looking for the grant. He cannot pay the full fees to the college which is withholding his qualification until they are paid. He has qualified but not in the eyes of the college. It is remarkable.

The third case involves a student from Galway who is in St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra and who was informed in writing by SUSI on 17 October that his grant had been awarded. He received an e-mail from it to this effect, but he was then informed on 17 December that the grant had not been awarded and that the fees would not be paid. He is halfway through the year and was proceeding in the belief he was receiving full fees. He is another student who cannot understand why he does not now qualify. This is causing great anger, frustration and concern for students and their families who believed they were financially safe for the year ahead. I am worried and concerned that this is happening on a wide scale. I understand there are issues with applications, but in every one of these cases SUSI had informed the students that they would receive the grants for which they had applied. We now find ourselves in a situation some months later where the grants have not been paid. This is causing great concern and anger and must be brought to a head.

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