Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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450. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the projected cost of changing the measurement of geographical distance to a measurement of travel distance in respect of qualifying for grant assistance under the Student Universal Support Ireland scheme. [26892/15]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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451. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of reinstating the old adjacent rate of the grant under the Student Universal Support Ireland scheme at 24 km. [26893/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 450 and 451 together.

In Budget 2011, the qualifying distance criterion for entitlement to the higher non-adjacent rate of grant, in place since 1968, changed from 15 miles (24 kilometres) to 28 miles (45 kilometres). This measure took effect for all students, both new and renewal, from the start of the 2011/2012 academic year.

The percentage split before the change in Budget 2011 was 77% of maintenance grant recipients qualifying for the non-adjacent rate with 23% of maintenance grants paid at the adjacent rate. Currently the split is 53% non-adjacent and 47% adjacent.

The percentage split between adjacent and non-adjacent can fluctuate from one year to another as some students graduate and new applicants come into grant. However, assuming that a change in the adjacency rate resulted in a reversion to the old percentage split then, approximately 15,000 additional students would move to the non-adjacent rate. It is difficult to quantify the cost due to the fact that each individual's circumstances are different and any impact would affect an unknown cohort of new applicants applying to SUSI at some future date. However, assuming that all 15,000 students transferring from the non-adjacent to the adjacent rate qualify for the standard rate of grant, then the financial impact of such a change would amount to €27.1 million. If all 15,000 qualified for the special rate then the cost would be €52.8m.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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452. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine introducing a special supplementary means tested payment under the Student Universal Support Ireland scheme for those living on islands who incur extra travel costs or living costs because they cannot commute. [26894/15]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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453. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the payment rates under the Student Universal Support Ireland Scheme, given the poor standard of transport links in many rural areas. [26895/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 452 and 453 together.

The eligibility criteria for student grants including the income thresholds is reviewed annually in my Department and approved by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

The aim of the student grant scheme has always been to make a contribution to the cost of going to college, covering the full cost has never been a feasible option.

As the Deputy will be aware, all proposals made in relation to education expenditure, including changes to grant rates, will be considered in the context of the Budget 2016.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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454. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has conducted any review of the rules of assessing estrangement used by Student Universal Support Ireland; if she is aware of any review conducted by Student Universal Support Ireland on the matter; and the outcome of any of these reviews. [26896/15]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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455. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide clear guidelines to grant authorities that will compel them to recognise genuine evidence from students that demonstrates estrangement from their families. [26897/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 454 and 455 together.

Cases of genuine estrangement are relatively rare and almost always will involve exceptional circumstances unique to a particular family situation. The scheme does not stipulate precisely how an awarding authority satisfies itself that such circumstances prevail. This is to allow the awarding authority sufficient flexibility to assess the evidence of irrevocable estrangement in each individual case.

It is difficult to legislate for all possible scenarios that can lead to genuine estrangement cases. Setting out guidelines as to how students can demonstrate estrangement will by their very nature, restrict the assessment of estrangement cases to those that fall within these guidelines. Such restrictions may not be in the best interest of students genuinely in this situation.