Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 November 2016
97. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the system for means assessing income for the SUSI grant to allow for net income instead of gross income to be assessed, as families are struggling to meet the rising costs of education, especially families where there are multiple children in third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33883/16]
View answer98. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider removing the universal social charge from the means test for the SUSI grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33895/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 98 together.
The means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied nationally on the same basis to both employed and self-employed applicants. Gross income before the deduction of income tax or the universal social charge, is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded.
The assessment of income from the same starting point is deemed to be fair and reasonable because this approach eliminates any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions in different households.
The Student Grant Scheme provides for different levels of income thresholds where families have (i) less than 4 dependent children (ii) between 4 and 7 dependent children and (iii) 8 or more dependent children. In recognition of the additional cost to families where more than one person is attending college, income thresholds may also be increased by up to €4,830 for each additional family member attending college at the same time. In this way, the Student Grant Scheme is responsive to the individual circumstances of particular families.
