Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has been denied the higher education grant; if he will have Student Universal Support Ireland re-examine their application with a view to awarding the grant as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2158/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the grant application of the student referred to by the Deputy for the 2012/13 academic year was awarded a postgraduate fee contribution based on the terms and conditions of the scheme. SUSI has confirmed that the applicant appealed their decision and letter on the appeal issued on 7th January, 2013.

Maintenance support is not available for students entering postgraduate courses in the academic year 2012/13. Students entering approved postgraduates courses who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant will be eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit under the Student Grant Scheme. Illness Benefit is considered to be a short-term payment and therefore it is not included as an eligible payment for the purposes of the special rates of maintenance grant.

Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grant Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form will be available on request from SUSI.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of appeals that have been made to Student Universal Support Ireland to date; the nature of those appeals; the length of time it takes on average to process same; if additional staff have been deployed to deal with appeals; the number of appeals that have been decided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2168/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As at the 14th January, 2013 Student Universal Support Ireland received some 3,520 appeals. Of these decisions have been made on some 2,091 appeals. The nature of the appeals vary from applicant to applicant.

Appeals received by SUSI are dealt with in date order, and the waiting time for decisions on appeals can vary depending on the complexity of the grant applicants circumstances which are under appeal. SUSI aims to issue determinations on appeals as promptly as possible and within the 30 day timeframe defined in the Student Support Act, 2011.

Seven additional staff have recently been deployed, on a temporary basis, to process appeals.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the appeal for a third level grant from Student Universal Support Ireland will be approved in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2180/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, her student grant application was appealed to the appeals officer in SUSI and the original decision was overturned.

On that basis, the application is currently being reassessed and the student will be notified directly of the outcome.