Sinn Fein Laois-Offaly TD Brian Stanley has called for changes to be made to the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant scheme to reflect families incomes post Covid-19 emergency.
The Deputy also raised the case of a local woman in Laois experiencing issues with her SUSI application.
Speaking in the Dail, Deputy Brian Stanley said: “The income assessment criteria for the SUSI grant is based on 2019.
“Many families have seen huge changes in their financial situation since the start of this year, which the Taoiseach will appreciate.
“There are workers without employment for the first time in their lives. The assessment criteria does not correspond with the reality of people’s lives and they need to be reviewed.
“I would also like the Taoiseach to address an anomaly in the system. The case of Ms X in Laois is one example.
“She is a married woman of 23 years of age who set up home with her partner, now her husband, for five a half years and lives totally independent of her parents but she is still being assessed as a dependent child despite having supplied reams of information to show that she is living independently with her husband.
“There is an anomaly in the system that the departmental officials need to address.”
In reply to Deputy Stanley’s queries, the Taoiseach Micheal Martin said: “I take on board the Deputy’s comments in regard to the assessment for SUSI in terms of previous income.
“On higher and further education, last night the Government agreed a package of measures to assist students, particularly those on low incomes, in terms of participating in third level education in the next session, particularly in terms of access to technology.
“We are doubling the disadvantage grants scheme which universities administer for students who are in financial difficulty. We are doing it this year in particular because of the Covid impact on so many families.”
