Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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566. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of dental nursing award classification on the national framework of qualifications; why dental nursing is categorised as a foundation course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46176/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I understand following clarification that this question concerns eligibility for the Student Grant Scheme.

Approved undergraduate courses for the Student Grant Scheme 2015 are prescribed in the Student Support Regulations 2015 and in the Student Support Act 2011.

The Regulations prescribe that an approved undergraduate course is a full-time course leading to a major higher education and training award which takes a minimum of two years to complete in an approved institution.

The course referred to by the Deputy is not approved for the purposes of the Student Grant Scheme as it leads to a special purpose/minor award rather than a major award, is part-time and is less than two years in duration.

If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe.