1,700 Meath students waiting on grants

Over 1,700 Meath third level students have not received their grants this year, according to figures released by the Department of Education. Two months into the academic year, just 469 of the 2,308 applications by Meath students have been awarded. Deputy Peadar Tóibín said the new SUSI online processing system for student grants is clearly failing as more than 60,000 grant applications are still being processed. Deputy Tóibín received break down for Meath from the Minister for Education, which indicated that 2,308 student grant applications were received, 2,186 were being processed but as of the 24th of October only 469 had been awarded. "The new SUSI on-line system was supposed to make the process of applying for a grant a good deal easier, but regrettably, there have been serious flaws which have resulted in delayed payments, poor communication and inadequate responses to applications and document submissions. "The minister's response confirms that there are more than 60,000 applications still being processed by the system despite the fact that we are nearly in November. "Of the more than 65,000 applications received by the new system decisions have been made on just over 12,000 and just over 3,000 have been awarded." Deputy Tóibín said the consequences for over 1,700 Meath students and their families cannot be overstated and his offices in Navan and Trim had dealt with people who have been left in dire straits by the failings of the new online system.