Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2015
661. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline her plans to make the student grant scheme more accessible by allowing those who are self-employed and experiencing a significant downturn in business to apply their current accounts in a change of circumstance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34475/15]
View answerArticle 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2015 provides for the review of eligibility for the award of a grant in the event of changes of circumstances in the academic year, including a change in relation to reckonable income for the self-employed.
In order for grant eligibility to be re-assessed under the changes of circumstances provision, the awarding authority must be satisfied that the fall in income is likely to obtain for the duration of the approved course or the foreseeable future. The required documentary evidence for grant purposes to verify that the reduction in reckonable income for the self-employed is permanent in nature is evidence of cessation of trading, de-registration for VAT or documentary evidence confirming the person is now in receipt of a means-tested social welfare payment. Fluctuations in income for the self-employed cannot be considered as a permanent change for grant purposes, since income may fluctuate from year to year due to the nature of self-employment. However, an applicant will be given the benefit of any reduction in income when he/she is re-assessed by the grant awarding authority the following academic year.
