Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

209. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person who applied for a special rate Student Universal Support Ireland grant, who meets all income limits and benefit entitlements was refused because their stepfather is not their legal guardian or biological father. [53114/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The decision on eligibility for a student grant and the rate of grant to be awarded is a matter in the first instance for the awarding authority. The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application in relation to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would qualify for the special rate of maintenance grant. To qualify for the special rate of grant an applicant must meet the following conditions: reckonable income must not exceed €22,703; on 31 December of the relevant period the reckonable income must include an eligible long-term social welfare payment prescribed under the scheme.

In the case of a student whose parents are divorced, legally separated or it is established to the satisfaction of the awarding authority that they are separated, the reckonable income shall be that of the applicant and the parent with whom the applicant resides. The income of a step-parent who is not a legal guardian is not included in determining reckonable income. Where the reckonable income does not include a long-term social welfare payment, as listed in the Student Grant Scheme, the special rate of grant is not payable.