Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise on behalf of my line Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, who cannot be here as she is out of the country on a trade mission.

For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances as either students dependent on parents or legal guardians or 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 re-entry following a break in study of at least three years, and was not ordinarily resident with his or her parents in the previous October. Otherwise, he or she will continue to be assessed on the basis of parental income. To be assessed as an independent mature student, an applicant must provide sufficient evidence to show he or she was living independently of his or her parents on 1 October of the year before the first point of entry to higher education. I gather that the first point of entry requirement is Deputy Nolan's main concern. I see the point he makes that where someone is 27 or 28 years old, it is a major difficulty. I have also come across cases in which a person is under 23 and lives in his or her own house with his or her own children. I accept that. There are other criteria with regard to providing proof of independence to SUSI through bills, etc. While there are difficulties in that regard as well, the Deputy will understand that the criteria are there for certain reasons. There are ways of sorting that out.

While there are no plans to review the matter, the Deputy raises a very important issue. I have come across other cases myself. I will sit down with the Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, to discuss the matter and see if we can address these cases. The Deputy is right to say we want to improve people's skills and encourage them back into education. There are many people who need to be reskilled, including those with an existing college qualification. I will raise the matter with the Minister and we will get back to the Deputy in due course. While there are no set plans to do this, the Deputy raises a good example and we will see what can be done.

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