John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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242. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale for a situation whereby a couple with one working parent (details supplied), that have seven children, can qualify for FIS yet will not qualify for a SUSI grant for their eldest child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11965/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would qualify for a grant or what level of grant would be appropriate.

Under the terms of the student grant scheme, Family Income Supplement (FIS) is treated as an income disregard and is therefore not included in the calculation of reckonable income. It is also a qualifying payment for the special rate of grant.

The scheme provides for different levels of income thresholds where families have (i) less than 4 dependent children, (ii) between 4 and 7 dependent children and (iii) 8 or more dependent children. Furthermore, in recognition of the additional cost to families where more than one person is attending college, income thresholds may also be increased by up to €4,830 for each additional family member attending college at the same time. In this way, the Student Grant Scheme is responsive to the individual circumstances of particular families.

If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant 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 outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.