The assessment of means for all applicants under the third level student support schemes is based on gross income with certain deductions for specified social welfare and health board payments.
When assessing income from self-employment and farming, the amount assessed is the adjusted profit/loss for income tax purposes from all self-employment activities, both Irish and foreign, whether or not they are exempted or relieved from Irish income tax. Capital allowances and other capital related costs, such as interest on borrowings used to purchase fixed assets, are not deductible from the adjusted profit in computing reckonable income for grant purposes.
These means test arrangements have been in operation since 1983 and are of general application. County Kilkenny VEC, the relevant body charged with the administration of the scheme in this case, has confirmed to my Department that the reckonable income in this case exceeds the prescribed income limit and the candidate in question was, therefore, ineligible for a grant. I have asked the VEC to review this assessment in the light of the information furnished by the Deputy.
