Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his considered and sympathetic response. It is clear that he is on top of this issue. Rather than my furnishing him with specific cases, though, I will make a request. Given that there is enough in his acknowledgement that "it is a matter for SUSI to determine what evidence it will accept as proof of separation", will he signal to his officials to liaise with SUSI on doing a simple look-back and require SUSI to furnish the number of cases? While I know that there is a statistically significant number among the overall number of cases that I deal with in my constituency office, the chances are that this is happening throughout every constituency. Therefore, I respectfully ask that the Minister of State, through his good offices, take it upon himself to ask his officials to engage with SUSI and seek a look-back or review - it would be a simple administrative exercise - so that the subjectivity of the assessor's decision is taken out of the equation and there is standardisation, thereby taking stress for the applicant out of the process.

I acknowledge his sympathetic and considered response. Arising from it, I am hopeful that some look-back will be taken of at least a parcel of cases where there has been a refusal by SUSI and a subsequent awarding by the appeals board.

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