Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There are crossed lines of communication here, so let me be clearer. Full-time students will not be in a position to receive the PUP from September. Therefore, they will be entitled to have their SUSI application assessed as though they have not received the payment. That is the purpose of the change of circumstances. I met my officials as recently as yesterday on this. I acknowledge that Deputy has pursued this matter in a number of occasions and it is important. If students were going to receive the PUP beyond September we would have the issue of which the Deputy speaks, but because students are not going to be eligible to receive PUP from September, all of them will qualify to have their SUSI application reassessed under the change of circumstances with their PUP payments not factored in.

I will arrange for SUSI to provide a briefing for Oireachtas Members on this. I will also arrange for SUSI to communicate directly with students and put information directly on their website in respect of this. Our intentions are the same. No student will lose out as a result of them receiving the PUP.

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