Written answers

Tuesday, 27 February 2018

Department of Education and Skills

Student Grant Scheme Applications

Photo of Niamh SmythNiamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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244. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review a matter in relation to a SUSI grant payment made to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9543/18]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Grant applications are subject to extensive quality controls and system checks within the SUSI assessment process. Grant renewal applications are also reviewed on a continuous basis. As part of this process, it can come to attention of SUSI that an incorrect rate of grant was awarded in a prior year, or that the circumstances that determine a student’s eligibility have changed. In all of these cases, the original grant application is reviewed and a revised decision is issued. 

I have been advised that the student to which the Deputy refers, submitted a grant application for the 2017/18 academic year. Following a review of the student’s grant application, the original grant awarded was revised. This revised decision was in line with the provisions of the Student Grant Scheme and the Student Support Act 2011, regarding the residency requirement to be living in the state for 3 out of the last 5 years ending on the day before taking up an approved course in an approved institution.

In accordance with the general policy and principle regarding the recovery of debt as set out in the Student Support Act 2011, all student grant overpayments are liable to be repaid to the Exchequer. SUSI implements a flexible repayment policy with minimum instalment amounts and timeframes that are designed to be as student-friendly as possible. SUSI actively manages all overpayments as debts due to the State and continues to engage with students to seek their recovery. The repayments policy is published to the SUSI website at www.susi.ie

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