Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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269. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware that anyone applying for the SUSI over the age of 23, still residing with their parents is automatically classed as a mature dependent student and means-tested according to the household income; if he is aware that the assumption of family support for adults living in their parental home who are not, themselves, legal dependents for the purpose of the SUSI grant means-test, leads to hardship and creates significant barriers to upskilling through third and higher level education; if he will consider abolishing the SUSI Grant's household means test for adults living in their parental home who are not legal dependents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21415/25]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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270. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware that adults over 23 applying for the SUSI grant who are living in the parental home but are not, themselves, legal adult dependents, are classed as mature dependent students and subject to a means-test of the entire household income; if he is aware of the hardship that results from the assumption of family support for adults living in their parental home who are not legal adult dependents; if he is aware of the barriers to upskilling through third- and higher-level education this means-test and category of 'mature dependent student' creates for adults who are not legal adult dependents living in the parental home; if he will abolish the household means-test for adults over 23 who are living in the parental home but are not legal adult dependents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21438/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 270 together.

For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students who are dependent on parents/legal guardian, mature dependent students, or independent students.

If a student has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course, and is not ordinarily resident with their parents from the previous 1st October, they may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income). If a student is over the age 23 on 1st January of the year of their point of entry into an approved course and is residing with their parent/legal guardians they will be assessed as a mature dependent student (i.e. assessed with reference to parental income).

A student’s status for grant purposes is defined at their first point of entry to an approved further or higher education course or at their point of re-entry to an approved course following a break in studies of at least three years, and continues to apply for the duration of their studies.

Applicants who do not meet the criteria to be assessed as an independent student for grant purposes, or who cannot supply the necessary documentation to establish independent living for the required period, may still apply to SUSI to have their grant eligibility assessed as a dependent student. The relevant information, including details of parental income, would be required by SUSI to determine grant eligibility as a dependent student.

Further information regarding class of applicant (independent, dependent, and mature dependent) and the types of documentation accepted as evidence of living independently from parents is available from SUSI’s website: www.susi.ie/eligibility-criteria/income/applicant-class/

The Deputy will appreciate that the funding allocation for the Student Grant Scheme is determined in the context of the overall estimates and budgetary process undertaken by all Government Departments. All proposals made in relation to SUSI grant expenditure can only be considered in the context of the budgetary allocation, having regard to overall resource constraints and other competing demands in the further and higher education sector.