Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am aware of the all of the information provided by the Minister of State on the floor of the House this afternoon. While it addresses some issues and puts on record the situation as it applies in respect of illness benefit and its consideration in terms of the qualification criteria for the special rate grant, it is completely unsatisfactory. I am always reluctant to mention individual cases on the floor of this House but I do so with the express permission of the family because it illustrates a wider problem in terms of the operation of the SUSI system and the lack of discretion that is often applied by it. I know the Minister and Minister of State are fair men.

They have both displayed commitments to fairness during their political life. I am sure that, cutting through the density of the bureaucratic system and the administrative impediments, the Minister of State can see how the system as it is currently constituted lets down families such as the Kells family in this case, but if it is beyond the system's capacity to adapt and take into account the vagaries of this case then I would argue, hopefully convincingly, that SUSI should instead apply some common sense and imagination in dealing with difficult cases like this. I would imagine there are few other cases that bear the hallmarks of this case and, therefore, SUSI really should be encouraged to ensure that some discretion or flexibility is applied.

My warning is that for some young students, if changes are not made to the system for situations such as this that are not necessarily black and white, it could well mean the difference between staying in third level education and dropping out. I want to ensure that students have the kinds of opportunities to which we all should have access. That is my fundamental concern. I make a plea to the Minister to have this case reviewed and appeal to the better nature of the Minister of State and those of officials in the Department of Education and Skills and SUSI to review this and to make provision for Robert Kells to ensure he is permitted to finish his education. That is his ambition and we should be supporting him in it.

See this speech in context