Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1033. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider adding the specific family circumstances of young carers as a ground for determining eligibility for SUSI grants for third level and further education courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13739/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The principal support provided by my Department is the student grant scheme, which makes available means-tested financial assistance to students in further and higher education. Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students on full-time courses who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved course, previous academic attainment and means.

The special rate of maintenance grant is the highest rate of maintenance grant available and is targeted at those students most in the need. One of the qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant is that the reckonable income must include one of the eligible long-term social welfare payments prescribed in Schedule 2 of the Student Grant Scheme. I can confirm that Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit are both eligible social welfare payments for the special rate of maintenance grant. In addition to Carer’s Allowance, the Carer’s Support Grant (where paid to recipients of the Carer’s Allowance and Domiciliary Care Allowance) and the Domiciliary Care Allowance are classified as an “income disregards” and these payments are not included in calculating reckonable income.

As the Deputy is aware, carers have been named as a priority group in our new National Access Plan. We will continue to examine supports for all target groups identified in the NAP. I will keep the Deputy aware of this matter.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1034. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider adding the specific family circumstances of young carers as a ground for determining eligibility for HEAR grants for third level and further education courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13740/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department does not have direct responsibility for the HEAR scheme. It is owned and operated by participating Higher Education Institutions. HEAR is a reduced points higher education admissions scheme for Leaving Certificate students (under 23) whose economic or social background are underrepresented in higher education rather than a grant.

HEAR currently has no specific entry mechanism for young carers. Young carers can apply to the scheme but, like other applicants they must meet a combination of socioeconomic indicators to be eligible for HEAR. Applications to HEAR evidencing carer’s allowance in the home are considered as a means tested Social Welfare payment, which is one of HEARs qualifying socioeconomic indicators.

Full details of the criteria can be accessed at HEAR - Access College.