Written answers

Tuesday, 17 November 2015

Department of Education and Skills

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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521. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the situation regarding applications for third level grants for Irish citizens who have lived over 80% of their lives here but had to leave the country with their parents who were unemployed and secured work abroad and who on return here are deemed not eligible due to the habitual residence rule operated by Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, even though they had lived 17 years of their 20 year life here; if this is a reasonable position in terms of the rules from her Department for SUSI to be requested to implement; if the same procedures are applied consistently between her Department and other Departments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40299/15]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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To be eligible for a grant, a "student", as defined in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011, must demonstrate that he/she has been resident in the State for at least 3 years out of the 5 year period ending on the day before the start of their approved course of study. A similar residency requirement for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI).

This residency requirement takes cognisance of students who wish to take time out to travel or work abroad. Such students can still meet the residency requirement if they have not been outside the State for more than two of the previous five years.

It is also possible for a student, who did not meet the residency requirement at the commencement of their studies, to have their eligibility reviewed if they meet the residency requirement during the course of their studies.

Similar and in some cases more restrictive residency requirements apply in other EU Member States.

I have no plans to change the current arrangements.

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