asked the Minister for Education if ownership of assets, as distinct from the income actually derived therefrom, is considered by her to come within the definition of means for the purpose of eligibility for higher education grants; if so, if she will outline the method of evaluation of assets for this purpose; the categories of assets included; and the categories of applicants to whom this method of evaluation of means may be applied.
Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.
137.
Under the terms of the higher education grants scheme reckonable income (i.e. the income figure which is used to determine a candidate's eligibility for a grant on grounds of means) is calculated as gross income from all sources of the candidate and his/her parents, less any sum paid by way of contribution to a superannuation fund, and excluding, also, children's allowances under the Social Welfare Acts, holiday earnings, if any, of the candidate and payments under the family income supplement scheme. Ownership of assets, as distinct from the income derived therefrom, is not considered for the purpose of determining reckonable income.
138.
asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the method whereby the means of self-employed persons are assessed for the purpose of higher education grants.
For a candidate to be eligible for the award of a higher education grant, the reckonable income of the candidate and of the candidates' parents or guardians must be within the income limits set out in the relevant scheme. For the purpose of the scheme reckonable income means gross income from all sources, less any sum paid by way of contribution to a superannuation fund, and excluding also children's allowances under the Social Welfare Acts, holiday earnings of the candidate and payments under the family income supplement scheme.
For self-employed persons the income to be reckoned includes the profits from business/farming activities (including lettings of land, equipment etc.) after deducting expenses incurred in earning these profits, such as rent, rates, wages paid out, repairs to machinery and equipment, purchase of seeds, fertilisers, business interest and stock relief. When reckoning expenses which may be taken into account as expenses incurred in earning profits no amount shall be included in respect of depreciation (including capital allowances such as on plant or equipment), expenditure on the construction of fences, roadways, holding yards, drains or land reclamation, expenditure on construction of farmhouses or farm buildings, expenditure on the construction of business premises or expenditure relating to personal use, e.g. the elements of expenditure relating to personal use contained in such items as light, power, fuel, telephone, insurance, motor expenses and bank interest and charges.
139.
asked the Minister for Education if she will lay before Dáil Éireann a copy of any rules she has made in the past five years in regard to the appropriate method and manner of calculation of means of parents or guardians of applicants for higher education grants; and the date on which each of these rules was made.
I am arranging to have sent to the Deputies copies of circulars and guidelines issued by my Department in the past five years in connection with the assessment of reckonable income under the higher education grants scheme.
140.
asked the Minister for Education the rules she has made governing the age limits and other requirements applying to applicants for higher education grants under section 2 of the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Act, 1968; when the most up-to-date version of these rules was made; and the procedure whereby such rules may be amended.
Pursuant to section 2 of the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Act, 1968, the most up-to-date conditions governing a candidate's eligibility for a higher education grant are those published in the higher education grants scheme for 1989. The conditions in question are contained in clause 2 of the scheme; a copy of which I am arranging to have conveyed to the Deputy.
The rules are subject to annual review and in this context the Minister for Education has regard to problems arising, representations received and the implications, financial and otherwise, of changes proposed.
141.
asked the Minister for Education when she made grants to each local authority to cover the cost of payment of higher education grants to students; and if such grants are made at the beginning of each calendar year or on a phased basis in line with the pattern of payments by local authorities to students throughout the year.
Since the introduction of the higher education grants scheme in 1968, payments have been made to the local authorities on the basis of recouping them as early as possible in the following year for the previous financial year's expenditure on higher education grants. Payments are normally made within a week of receipt of the claim for recoupment from the local authority.
142.
asked the Minister for Education if the schemes for higher education grants approved by her under section 5 of the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Act, 1968 for each local authority are all of uniform content; and if not, if she will outline the variations that exist between local authority areas.
The higher education grants schemes approved each year by me under section 5 of the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 and 1978, are all of uniform content.
143.
asked the Minister for Education if she has issued any circulars, advice or instructions to local authorities in regard to the operation of the higher education grants scheme subsequent to the issue by her of the specimen scheme for 1989; and, if so, if she will give details.
Two circulars were issued to local authorities by the higher education grants section of my Department since the issue of the specimen scheme for 1989. The first, dated 31 July 1989, outlined the courses in colleges administered under vocational education committees approved for European Social Fund Aid in the 1989-90 academic year. The second, dated 26 September 1989, outlined the courses approved for European Social Fund Aid under the advanced technical skills (ATS) programme and advised local authorities on the treatment of grant applications from students in attendance on these courses.