Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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311. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the interpretation by SUSI of the requirement for a 391-day continuous period on a qualifying social protection payment; if this interpretation is the same as other Departments and agencies, that is, 56 weeks; if SUSI interprets this as 65 weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39318/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.

In assessing an application for the 2020/21 academic year, SUSI will have regard to the following qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant:

1. The student must qualify for the standard rate of grant;

2. Total reckonable income, after income disregards and Child Dependant Increase(s) are excluded, must not exceed €24,500;

3. As at 31st December 2019, the reckonable income must include one of the eligible long-term social welfare payments prescribed in Schedule 2 of the Student Grant Scheme 2020.

The report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education made detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students. The target group of "those most in need" was defined in terms of the dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments, where the necessary conditions are fulfilled.

In general terms, Jobseekers Benefit is considered to be a short-term payment unless it is held for 391 consecutive days at the 31st December 2019. The 391 days is the time period as determined by the Department of Social Protection for a social welfare payment to be regarded as long term, and refers to social welfare days as opposed to calendar days. Jobseeker’s Benefit is operated by the Department of Social Protection on a 6 day week basis.

The 391 day requirement for the purposes of qualifying for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme is operated in line with the arrangements as determined by the Department of Social Protection and follows its interpretation as to what it considers to be a long term payment.

The Student Grant Scheme also makes provision for combining periods of Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit and other eligible payments for the purposes of meeting the 391 days eligibility requirement.