Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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272. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an application for a higher education grant will be reviewed in the case of a person (details supplied) who has been accepted to Maynooth College and whose family have ongoing medical bills as a result of Covid-19 causing ongoing hardship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45362/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme where students are studying for the first time or are progressing to study at a higher level. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.

With regard to the specific application, I have been advised by my officials that the student in question submitted an application to SUSI on 8th July 2022. The application proceeded through the assessment process and the reckonable income was found to be over the threshold for grant assistance. A change of circumstance was declared by the student.Further documentation was requested from the applicant on 15th and 30^thAugust 2022. SUSI reviewed the application based on the projected 2022 income however the outcome had no impact on SUSI’S earlier decision.

As of 13^thSeptember 2022 no request for an Internal Review of Notice of Appeal has been received from the student by 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

However, article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2022 provides for a review of eligibility for the award of a grant in the event of a change of circumstances in the academic year. Where a student experiences a change of circumstances during the course of their studies, he/she may apply to SUSI to have his/her application re-assessed at helpdesk@SUSI.ie quoting Internal Review in the Subject line.

This Department also provides funding for the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). The fund is available in various publicly funded higher education institutions. The SAF provides financial assistance to students experiencing financial difficulties while attending third level. Students can be assisted towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials.

The SAF is open to both full and part-time registered students on courses of not less than one year's duration leading to an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification. Further details of the fund is available from the Access Office in the higher education institution attended. Further information on the SAF is available at www.studentfinance.ie.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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273. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason that a student (details supplied) who achieved 31 points more than their first choice for college was not offered any course in the first round of offers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45394/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Higher Education Institutions determine their own procedures for admission. The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on their behalf.

Decisions on admissions are made by the Higher Education Institutions who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the operation of the CAO and it is not within my remit to intervene in individual cases.

If an applicant achieves the necessary points for a course but does not receive an offer this is either because they did not attain the minimum entry requirements for that course, or because an error in their CAO application such as a missing exam number prevented their Leaving Certificate results from being associated with their CAO application.

Where the CAO is notified of an error in an application after Round One offers have issued, they update the account information and ask the higher education institutions to consider them for Round Two. The higher education institutions will then do their best to accommodate applicants with offers in the next available round. It is vital that the CAO is informed of such an error as quickly as possible.

I appreciate that it can be quite upsetting for an applicant to realise their examination information was incorrect, and it is my understanding that every effort is made by CAO and the higher education institutions to facilitate such applicants in the next round of offers.

If the issue is not resolved the applicant’s satisfaction, the option to appeal is available. The CAO has an Independent Appeals Commission, to which recourse may be had by applicants who believe that they have been treated unfairly by CAO, and whose complaints have not been resolved by CAO. The function of the Appeals Commission is to ensure that the rules are applied fairly.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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274. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 1310 of 8 September 2022, if community training centres will be given the opportunity to input into the Operational Guidelines Working Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45396/22]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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The Operational Guidelines Working Group (OGWG) is a sub-group of the Directors of Further Education and Training (FET) Forum served by six staff from the Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The remit of the OGWG is to review the operational guidelines applying to Community Training Centres, Specialist Training Provision and Local Training Initiatives within the FET Sector. My officials have confirmed with ETBI that the OGWG will facilitate consultation and engagement with national stakeholders and explore, clarify and resolve specific issues that may arise. Relevant stakeholders will be invited to join the group and ETBs will facilitate local engagement with stakeholders.