Estranged students still waiting on college grants

Dozens of students are still awaiting a decision on college grants, having failed to satisfy the awarding body they are estranged from their parents.

Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) has taken evidence from charity groups to verify some claims where grant applicants say they are not dependent on family.

SUSI customer service manager Graham Doyle told the Oireachtas education committee that 170 of the 103,000 applications for the 2014/15 college year involved estrangement claims. Almost half have received a grant and 10 refused, but work is continuing with the remainder.