Written answers

Thursday, 20 May 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Grant Payments

Photo of Pa DalyPa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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132. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the criteria and income thresholds for SUSI grants to ensure that each family qualifying for the working family payment is deemed eligible for a fee and maintenance SUSI grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26933/21]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, Family Income Supplement (also known as the Working Family Payment) is treated as an income disregard and is therefore not included in the calculation of reckonable income.

Furthermore, unlike other social protection payments which are paid to individuals, the Working Family Payment is a payment deemed to be paid to a family. In recognition of this, the SUSI scheme contains provisions which allow this payment to be recognised for the purposes of meeting the eligibility criteria for the special rate of grant, which is the highest maintenance grant support available.

This ensures that those students most in need receive supports commensurate with their needs. In this regard, SUSI has advised that 5,090 students qualified for the special rate of grant in 2019/20 by virtue of having a Working Family Payment.

The Student Grant Scheme provides for different levels of income thresholds for grant support including where families have (i) less than 4 dependent children (ii) between 4 and 7 dependent children and (iii) 8 or more dependent children.

The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government contains commitments to, among other things, review SUSI eligibility criteria, adjacency rates and postgraduate grant supports. On foot of these commitments I gave approval to commence a review of the Student Grant Scheme. It anticipated that the review will be completed later this year and will inform future considerations regarding the development of student grant policy.

Separately, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their higher education studies due to their financial circumstances. Information on the fund is available through the Access Officer in the higher education institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.

Photo of Pa DalyPa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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133. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider a graduated special rate for SUSI grant applicants who have at least 365 days continuous Department of Social Protection payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26934/21]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for SUSI to determine. In assessing an application for the 2021/22 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 of December 2020, the reckonable income must include one of the eligible long-term social welfare payments prescribed in Schedule 2 of the Student Grant Scheme 2021.

The SUSI scheme is closely aligned with the criteria set by the Department of Social Protection for its schemes. In general terms, Jobseeker’s Benefit and Jobseeker’s Allowance are considered to be short-term payments unless they are held for 391 consecutive days. The 391 days is the time period determined by DEASP for a social welfare payment to be regarded as long term, and refers to social welfare days as opposed to calendar days.

The Student Grant Scheme makes provision for combining periods of Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit and other eligible payments for the purposes of meeting 391 days as determined by the Department of Social Protection.

Students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.

In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may also be available in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax Office or from the Revenue Commissioners website, www.revenue.ie

The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government contains commitments to, among other things, review SUSI eligibility criteria, adjacency rates and postgraduate grant supports. On foot of these commitments I gave approval to commence a review of the Student Grant Scheme. It anticipated that the review will be completed later this year and will inform future considerations regarding the development of student grant policy.

Photo of Pádraig O'SullivanPádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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134. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the SUSI review; if the new criteria for the scheme will be available to students making their applications in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26440/21]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government contains commitments to, among other things review SUSI eligibility criteria. On foot of these commitments I gave approval to commence a review of the Student Grant Scheme. The review, which commenced earlier this year, will examine eligibility criteria such as: income thresholds; postgraduate supports; grant values and adjacency rates.

A Steering Committee has been established to provide direction for the external consultants undertaking the review. Its membership includes: the Union of Students of Ireland; Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), SOLAS, the HEA; Irish University Association (IUA); Technological Higher Education Association (THEA); Technological University Dublin (TUD), the Department of Social Protection and officials from my Department.

The public consultation process closed a few weeks ago with over 250 submissions received. The views of students were sought via an online survey process. By May 14th over 8,500 survey responses had been received. The survey process closed yesterday (May 19) and the consultants will now commence their analysis of the rich data captured in the surveys.

It is anticipated that the SUSI review will be completed later this year and will inform priorities for the next Estimates process and future considerations regarding the development of student grant policy.

SUSI opened its application process for the 2021/22 academic year on March 31 and to date has received over 40,000 applications. This year’s scheme includes enhanced supports for postgraduate students which were announced in Budget 2021. I also secured an additional €20m in Budget 2021 to meet anticipated demands on the scheme as a consequence of the Covid pandemic.

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