Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Acting Chairman for the opportunity to raise this matter and the Ceann Comhairle for selecting it as one of the items for discussion.

This is an important issue. It concerns a constituent of mine who agreed to rear and support the children of a family friend and his wife, both of whom died when they were very young. A guardianship arrangement was put in place. The couple who were the guardians do not have a family of their own. None the less, they looked after the children exceptionally well and supported them through primary and second level education. The first girl, a teenager, is going on to third level education. After making a grant application to SUSI, they discovered that the incomes of both guardians are factored in when considering eligibility for same. The teenager is the first of a number of children who will hopefully go on to third level, and the same issue will arise again. Given that the incomes of both parents are factored into the means test, they may not be eligible for a college grant.

The reality is that the couple involved did not anticipate this problem. Apparently under a guardianship arrangement the teenager ceases to be in guardianship after the age of 18 years. They looked also at the issue of children in foster care. Apparently children in foster care are fortunate in being able to go on to third level, as the income of the carers - the parents or the husband and wife looking after the children - is not factored in. Clearly, there is a dichotomy in the application of the grants scheme by SUSI. Obviously, it operates under the regulations set down by the Department of Education and Skills, but it is an area that needs to be examined.

Guardianship is an invaluable service for HSE and State bodies that would otherwise have the responsibility of looking after children who, when their parents die, are unable to look after themselves. There is a need to have the guardianship outlet available to them as well as foster care. It is an aspect we need to protect. There is a need to ensure it is not made less attractive for the honourable and commendable parents who are prepared to provide care in such a situation.

I am pleased that the Minister of State is from the north east. This is a north east problem. I am prepared, on a confidential basis, to provide him with more details of the case. I implore him to consider the case sympathetically. It is a genuine case. There is nothing political about it. I am being up front. I am providing limited details in my contribution in the Chamber as we are restricted in what we can say about individual cases. I appeal to the Minister to go back to the Department and examine the regulations with a view to seeing what can be done to help.

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