Written answers
Thursday, 7 February 2013
Department of Education and Skills
Student Grant Scheme Appeals
Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the number of appeals to the student grant appeal board for the 2012/13 academic year; if he will provide the information in respect of decisions appealed in respect of each grant awarding authority; if he will further provide a breakdown of these appeals in relation to the number of decisions in respect of each grant awarding authority that were confirmed or amended; the total amount of grants approved by the student grant appeals board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6435/13]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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At the close of business on 6 February, 2013 the Student grant Appeals Board has received 157 appeals for the 2012/13 academic year. 89 of these have been considered to date of which 10 were overturned. A further 40 appeals are scheduled for consideration by the Appeals Board on 13 February next. The remainder are expected to be scheduled for hearing on 12 March, 2013. The statistical data requested by the Deputy in relation to these appeals is contained in the attached table. Appeals are received on an on-going basis throughout the academic year. They are considered by the Appeals Board as quickly as possible and within the maximum 60 days prescribed by the Student Support Act, 2011.
Breakdown of decisions of the independent Student Grants Appeals Board for the 2012/13 academic year up to and including the sitting of 15 January, 2013
| Total no. of appeals received and considered | Decision upheld | Decision overturned | *Referred back to AA for further action | Referred back to student for further action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
89 | 54 | 10 | 23 | 2 |
*Generally referred back to an awarding authority (AA) to consider a change in a student’s circumstances.
Breakdown of appeals to independent Student Grants Appeals Board by County for the 2012/13 academic year up to and including 6 February 2013
Grant Awarding Authority | No. of Appeals | Decision | No. of decisions by category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cavan VEC | 1 | Overturned | 1 |
| Clare County Council | 1 | Upheld | 1 |
| Cork City VEC | 1 | Upheld | 1 |
| Cork County VEC | 1 | Upheld | 1 |
| Dublin County VEC | 1 | Upheld | 1 |
| Limerick City Council | 1 | Upheld | 1 |
| Limerick County Council | 1 | Upheld | 1 |
| Limerick County VEC | 1 | Upheld | 1 |
| Longford VEC | 1 | Referred back to AA. | 1 |
| Mayo County Council | 2 | Overturned | 1 |
| Upheld | 1 | ||
| Mayo VEC | 1 | Due for consideration 13/2/13 | |
| Meath County Council | 2 | Overturned | 1 |
| Upheld | 1 | ||
| Meath VEC | 1 | Upheld | 1 |
| North Tipperary VEC | 1 | Overturned | 1 |
| Roscommon County Council | 1 | Referred back to AA | 1 |
| *SUSI | 62 | Overturned | 4 |
| Referred back to AA. | 17 | ||
| Referred back to student | 1 | ||
| Upheld | 40 | ||
37 | Due for consideration on 13/2/13 | ||
28 | Due for consideration on 12/3/13 | ||
| Tipperary North Co Co | 2 | Referred back to student | 1 |
| Upheld | 1 | ||
| Westmeath County Council | 1 | Due for consideration 13/2/13 | |
| Tipperary South Co Co | 1 | Upheld | 1 |
| Wexford VEC | 5 | Referred back to AA. | 2 |
| Overturned | 1 | ||
| Upheld | 2 | ||
1 | Due for consideration 13/2/13 | ||
| Wicklow County Council | 3 | Overturned | 1 |
| Referred back to AA. | 2 | ||
| Total | 157 | Total | 89 |
* For the 2012/13 academic year, SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority, is dealing with all new grant applications, which this year amount to in excess of 67,000. The majority of appeals generally arise in the first year of application. Appeals to the other grant awarding authorities relate to grant renewals.
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