John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I greatly appreciate the opportunity to raise this very important issues as a Topical Issue matter. I raised it already this morning during questions on promised legislation. I did not realise at that time that my Topical Issue matter had been selected. The basic issue relates to an individual in my constituency who is in receipt of €229 in family income supplement, which is a substantial enough payment in its own right. It recognises the particular circumstances of my constituent. He has a wife. He is working, she is a full-time homemaker and they have seven children. In recognition of the need to meet their weekly outgoings, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection deems it necessary to pay them the family income supplement, which is very welcome. It is a very good and fair scheme and is reflective of the need in which families find themselves and of the support they need. Long may it continue.

The eldest child of that same family is sitting his leaving certificate this year and will be going to third level next year. He applied for a third-level grant and failed to get it on the basis that the family's income exceeds the threshold. This is an anomaly and it must be corrected. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection deems it necessary to pay this family income support in order to meet its basic requirements. This is a family that will pay its mortgage, its household tax, its property tax and VAT on everything it buys. These people are contributing to society in every way. They are now trying to educate their family. They have started with their eldest son but cannot get a grant for higher education. This is an anomaly which must be corrected.

I am not asking the Minister of State to come back with a review and an overhaul of the system. We can talk about such things at all times. Education grants are always to be reviewed. However, in these particular circumstances - and I would imagine that there are not too many people in this situation as we speak - if a family is in receipt of the family income supplement, there should be an automatic entitlement to a Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grant. I ask the Minister of State to rectify this matter by ministerial order or any other method that might be required. I ask that she does not put the family or the student under any further stress. To use a common term, this is a no-brainer. It is something which should be dealt with and needs to be dealt with. I know the Minister of State to be a person of practicality and fairness.

I ask her to use that practicality and fairness and simply intervene to resolve this issue immediately.

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Brassil for raising this important issue. I acknowledge he raised it earlier today with my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, on the Order of Business. As the Deputy knows, under the terms of the student grant scheme, assistance is awarded to students who meet the conditions on funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The assessment of means under the student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources. Therefore, all income is assessed from the same starting point, eliminating any distortion that might arise from different spending decisions. The means test arrangements of the student grant scheme are applied nationally. In the case of both employed and self-employed applicants, gross income is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service payments excluded.

The income limits for grant eligibility are increased relative to the number of students in a family applying for a grant. Also, in recognition of the additional cost to parents where more than one person is attending college, an increment for each additional relevant person can be applied to the income thresholds at the rates outlined in the student grant scheme documentation. The maximum increment that can be applied for each additional family member attending college at the same time is €4,830. In this way, the student grant scheme is responsive to the individual circumstances of particular families.

The eligibility of an applicant or the level of the grant awarded may be reassessed by Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, in the event of a change of circumstances in the academic year. The applicant should, in the first instance, contact SUSI and notify it of the change in circumstances.

The Deputy will be aware that the family income supplement provides an income support for employees on low earnings with families. The family income supplement was recently renamed and it is now known as the working family payment, WFP. Under the student grant scheme, the WFP is treated as an income disregard in the means assessment process. It is also included as an eligible payment for the special rate of maintenance grant.

In recognition of the fact that the working family payment is paid to a family as opposed to an individual, a change was made to the 2016 SUSI grant scheme to recognise the presence of a payment even in cases where it is paid to a person whose income is not assessed as part of the means assessment process.

I do not really want to talk about the family in question but the highest income limit for a family of the size the Deputy is talking about is €59,595. I have been advised that the income of the family in question is above this threshold. Therefore, the applicant will not qualify for grant support.

John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I am very disappointed with the response. I will continue to pursue this matter. The working family payment is basically a recognition by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection that, education aside, the family needs extra money in order to meet minimum living standards. As a State, we are saying the family in question does not qualify for support to educate its child. It simply does not stack up.

I am aware of the application process and guidelines. We can have another debate on the very low grant rates and the fact that, for any working family, trying to get support to educate its children is next to impossible but what is occurring beggars belief considering that the State itself recognises it has to intervene and pay a working family payment to a family so it will reach a basic standard of living. The last line of the Minister of State's reply is that the applicant will not qualify for grant support. I must, therefore, go back to the working family and tell the husband and wife, who have seven children, that the State will help them to reach the minimum standard of living but will not help them to educate their child. What does that say about us as a nation? If we cannot educate and support our young people, where are we going as a nation? I will not let this issue go because it needs to be resolved. If there are other families caught up in the same circumstances, their cases need to be sorted out and they need to be supported. The Minister of State's reply is just not good enough.

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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We are aware of the issues and difficulties faced by the family. There has been contact. The Minister told the Deputy this morning that the SUSI grant scheme is currently being reviewed. As of now, the highest income limit for a family of the size in question is €59,595. If a family's income exceeds this threshold – these are the rules I have — the applicant will not qualify for the grant support. The scheme is being reviewed, however.