Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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217. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will personally intervene in the case of a student (details supplied) in Dublin 7 and ensure that she is assessed for a SUSI grant in her own right as an estranged young person under 23; if he is aware that she has been told by SUSI that she will not be assessed as estranged unless she can produce a letter from a Health Service Executive social worker or other officer attesting to this fact; if he is also aware that she has had no HSE social work involvement in her life and the HSE social workers or officers will not see her unless she is under 18; if he is also aware that SUSI will apply no flexibility to these rules; if he is further aware that the Department of Social Protection are satisfied that she does not reside with her family; if he will ensure that she receives a payment from SUSI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1032/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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For student grants purposes, a student may be assessed as an independent student if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved post leaving certificate course or an approved higher education course, or of re-entry to an approved course following a break in studies of at least three years, and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous 1 October. Otherwise he/she would continue to be assessed on the basis of his/her parents' income.

In recognition of the fact that a student under 23 years of age can be estranged from his/her parents, it is possible under the student grant scheme, as an exceptional measure, for such a student to be assessed without reference to his/her parents/guardians income.

However, compelling independent evidence of estrangement must be provided to the grant awarding authority to enable this. The type of independent evidence includes a letter from a social worker or other appropriate officer of the Health Service Executive explaining the circumstances of the estrangement. Confirmation that a student is living separately from his/her parents/guardians is not sufficient.

Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy the original decision of the awarding authority was upheld on appeal by the SUSI appeals officer.

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

I have no plans at present to change the eligibility arrangements in respect of students under the age of 23 who apply for a student grant.