John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on a Student Universal Support Ireland grant application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46518/12]

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on a Student Universal Support Ireland grant application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46519/12]

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on a Student Universal Support Ireland grant application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46520/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 to 277, inclusive, together.

The decision on eligibility for new student grant applications from the 2012/13 academic year is a matter for the new centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). The eligibility of an applicant, or the level of the grant awarded, may be re-assessed by the awarding authority in the event of a change of circumstances in the academic year. Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI that they are reviewing the cases referred to by the Deputy in light of a possible change of circumstances.

If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by SUSI, and remains of the view that SUSI has not interpreted the scheme correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the Student Grant Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form will be available on request from SUSI.