Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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174. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way an overpayment in respect of a higher education grant occurred in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37431/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The student referred to by the Deputy was initially refused funding under the Student Grant Scheme for the 2013/14 academic year as she did not satisfy the Nationality requirements of the scheme. She appealed the decision to SUSI and provided evidence of Naturalisation from March 2014. A letter issued to her on 25th April 2014 advising her of her eligibility.

The student was entitled to three monthly payments from March 2014, however eight payments issued to her account in error on 15th May 2014. A letter issued to the student on 27th May 2014 advising her of this error and requested her to contact the Payments Department to discuss repayment options. This letter was re-issued to the student on 13th August 2014.

Any overpayment of a grant is required to be repaid by the student in accordance with the Student Support Act 2011 and the Student Grant Scheme. SUSI implements a repayment policy under which students are asked to agree a repayment plan that is appropriate to their circumstances. SUSI deals with such repayments carefully and sensitively having regard to the ability of students to make repayments.