Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will issue in relation to a student grant application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7107/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), that supporting documentation requested from the student referred to by the Deputy on 13th December, 2012 is still outstanding.

SUSI is currently contacting all applicants where documentation is outstanding - in the majority of cases, for more than six weeks - to provide a final opportunity to submit the documentation so that the applications for 2012/2013 can be closed out before the end of February. Support for students to complete their applications has been put in place.

A letter in this regard issued to the student in question on 7th February 2013.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a Student Universal Support Ireland grant will be awarded in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7108/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded a grant and an award letter issued on 8th February 2013.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the reasons for the delay in processing a student grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; if he will confirm that the person concerned will be considered an independent applicant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7113/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the student referred to by the Deputy has been assessed as an independent applicant and has been awarded a grant. The grant award letter issued on 6th February.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the provision of information for applicants for third level grants when no independent evidence can be provided in relation to their place of residence during relevant periods of time; if a sworn affidavit will be adequate in these cases where no other independent documentation exist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7125/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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In considering whether a student meets the conditions to be assessed independently of his or her parents, grant awarding authorities are obliged to satisfy themselves beyond doubt that an acceptable degree of proof of independent living in the relevant period has been submitted by the grant applicant

In exceptional circumstances, where it is not possible to produce such proofs of residence for demonstrable reasons, the awarding body may, at its discretion, agree to accept other documentary evidence that provides an acceptable degree of proof of independent living. For example, while an affidavit, if accompanied by other supporting documentation, may be considered as evidence of independent living, an affidavit in isolation is not considered acceptable as sole proof of residency. Individual circumstances should be discussed by an applicant with the grant awarding authority.

If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to their awarding body.

Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by their awarding body, 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.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a determination will be made in regard to a grant application for a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7143/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland, that on 1st February 2013, a request for further documentation was issued to the student referred to by the Deputy. When the requested documentation is returned the student will be notified directly of the outcome.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of student grant applications refused in 2012/2013; the percentage rate of refusal over the past four years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7156/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I understand from data supplied by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that of the new student grant applications processed to date to completion, some 23% were refused in respect of the 2012/13 academic year.

A survey completed by the 66 grant awarding authorities (33 local authorities and 33 VECs) in January each year provides details in relation to processing of grant applications as at the third week in January. Data compiled from this survey shows that of new applications processed to completion at that time in each of the previous four academic years some 17% were refused in 2011/12, some 20% in 2010/11, some 15% in 2009/10 and some 15% in 2008/09. This data has been compiled from data supplied to my Department by the 66 grant awarding authorities.

It should be noted that the data supplied by SUSI in relation to new applications in the 2012/13 academic year is not directly comparable as the SUSI data is at a more advanced time in the academic year.