Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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134. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding adjacency rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30420/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that Budget 2011 provided for a number of student grant measures which came into effect for the 2011/12 academic year, including the change in the assessment of the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of grant from 24 kilometres to 45 kilometres.

The 24km distance criterion was originally set in 1968 and had not been updated in more than 40 years. Since then, significant improvements have taken place in the road and rail network and it is considered that the revised distance criteria is more consistent with the type of distances that students may legitimately be expected to commute to college.

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 may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe. Such appeals can be made by the appellant on line via www.studentgrantappeals.ie

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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135. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the SUSI grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30421/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The 2017 scheme and regulations were published in late March. The 2017 scheme includes an amendment to the income threshold for the special rate of grant which has increased from €22,703 to €23,000. This change reflects the recent budget increases to the Old Age Contributory Pension and ensures that qualifying families dependent on welfare, will continue to qualify for the highest grant support possible.

The Student Grant 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. In 2017, the highest income threshold for a family of less than 4 dependent children, is €54,240. In addition to this and in recognition of the additional cost to families where more than one person is attending college, income thresholds may be increased by a further €4,980 for each additional family member attending college at the same time.

The income thresholds and rates of maintenance grant under the Student Grant Scheme are announced annually as part of the Budget process. No changes to the rates or thresholds were included in Budget 2017. However, in line with the Programme for Government commitment, provision was made to reintroduce maintenance grants for the most disadvantaged postgraduate students.