Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 February 2013

Thursday, 21 February 2013

Questions (108)

Seán Kyne

Question:

108. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason Student Universal Support Ireland insists on obtaining financial accounts to accompany student grant applications from farms which are in receipt of the farm assist scheme, a payment which is only made to those families working on small low-income farms; if he will clarify the reason a statement from the Department of Social Protection detailing farm assist payment is not sufficient to enable the processing of the initial student grant application. [9501/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

The assessment of means under my Department's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources. The means test arrangements of the student grant scheme are applied nationally. In the case of both employed and self-employed applicants, gross income is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded.

Eligibility for Farm Assist is determined and administered by the Department of Social Protection, in addition to wide range of other means tested schemes. While Farm Assist is a means-tested income support scheme for farmers and is similar to Jobseeker's Allowance, it has a different means test. My Department's statutory based Student Grant Scheme has its own particular qualifying terms and conditions. An applicant must provide the necessary documentation in order that the awarding authority may determine whether or not an applicant is eligible to receive a student grant.