Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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356. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be granted the non-adjacent special rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46572/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.

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.

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 an appeals officer in 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 (i.e. not later than 30 days after the notification of the determination of the appeals officer to the applicant). Such appeals can be made by the appellant on line via www.studentgrantappeals.ie.

With regard to the specific application, I have been advised by my officials that the student outlined by the Deputy was awarded the adjacent rate of grant by SUSI on the 11^thJuly 2022. This award was affirmed by the SUSI Appeals Officer and confirmed by letter to the student on the 15^thAugust 2022. The student subsequently submitted an appeal to the Student Grant Appeals Board which is due for consideration by 6^thNovember 2022.

Maintenance grants under the Student Grant Scheme are awarded either at the non-adjacent rate or the adjacent rate, depending on the distance between the applicant’s normal residence and the college attended.

The adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable in the case of students whose normal residence is 30km or less from the approved institution which he or she is attending. The non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable in all other cases.

The measurement of the distances relating to the award of adjacent or non-adjacent rates of student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority. The distance measurement for student grant rates is governed by Article 27(3)(a) and (b) of the Student Grant Scheme 2022. This provides that the relevant distance will be measured in line with agreed guidelines.

The guidelines require that the shortest most direct route between the applicant's normal residence and the institution being attended should apply. In determining the shortest most direct route, the relevant awarding authority shall establish:

- the method for measuring a route;

- the factors to be taken into account in establishing and measuring a route.