Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2014

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Questions (319)

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

319. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the legitimate costs of running a business, that is, capital allowances on expenditure for business equipment, equipment leasing, bank interest on loans, depreciation and rental losses, are not taken into account by Student Universal Support Ireland when considering student grant applications; and in cases where serious illness has resulted in significant personal expenditure, the reason SUSI does not recognise the resulting impact on income when considering student grant applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13115/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Article 23 of the Student Grant Scheme 2013 deals with the determination of reckonable income. In calculating reckonable income no account is taken of capital assets. Therefore no deduction is given for capital expenditure, regardless of how it is treated for income tax purposes. The assessment of means under my Department's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources. Therefore, all income is assessed from the same starting point, eliminating any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions. 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. I have no plans at present to depart from the above practice in respect of the determination of income.