Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will clarify the number of third level grants that remain to be processed; if he will provide detail in tabular form of the grants still to be processed by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7531/13]

Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to address the delays in the processing of student grant applications, the number of student grant applications that have been received by Student Universal Support Ireland; the number that have been processed, awarded, refused, awaiting decisions to date, the number of applications that were received from County Kerry and the number of these that were processed, received, refused, awarded, awaiting a decision to date; if he will reassure all applications and their families, that all fully completed applications will be processed at the earliest possible date;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7710/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 85 together.
I understand from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that grants processing is largely up to date and that complete applications are now being dealt with as the requested documentation comes in. The following table provides a breakdown of the processing position of student grant applications received by SUSI on a county basis. The data provided is at a point in time on the 13 February, 2013. It gives the position for student grant applications for attendance at both further and higher education. It includes data in relation to applications received from County Kerry. This data has been provided to my Department by SUSI. SUSI is continuing to make payments on a weekly basis to ensure students can get paid their grant as expeditiously as possible, once they have been awarded a grant. Those awarded a grant must supply bank account details and confirmation of registration must be received from the institution in order for the first instalment to be paid.

Some students have still not provided any of the necessary supporting documentation to enable their grant applications to be progressed to finality while others have provided some, but not all, of this documentation. This is similar to the position in previous years. SUSI is currently offering those students that still wish to proceed with their grant applications a final opportunity to submit the documentation that has been requested before SUSI close their applications.

SUSI Applications - Processing Position by County

*Of these in the case of some 53,271 applications processing has been completed (awarded, provisionally awarded or refused).

** This figure includes some 1,049 provisionally awarded awaiting final course acceptance and some 6,833 students awarded a "fees only grant".

# This figure includes some 103 late applications awaiting provisional assessment.

## The total number awarded and due to be paid a maintenance grant by SUSI is some 3,156 students. The majority of these students currently awaiting payment will be paid within the next two weeks, depending on their submission of bank account details. A number of students will be paid on Friday 15th February 2013.