asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the serious inequities in the higher education grant scheme where a student's eligibility is considered only for the year in which he receives a leaving certificate, and without any regard to parental income changes in subsequent years; if she will revise the existing grant scheme to meet the needs of students whose parental incomes vary from year to year; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.
495.
Under the provisions of the higher education grants scheme, the means test regulations applicable in the case of a candidate seeking a grant are those laid down in the higher education grants scheme for the year the candidate qualified academically for a grant by virtue of successes in the leaving certificate examination. Where a candidate who is following an approved course of studies did not qualify for a grant solely on the grounds of means in his or her first year, a grant may be awarded if evidence is produced that, due to a change in family circumstances, the means regulations of the relevant scheme would now be fulfilled in his/her case. Such grant would be awarded with effect from the beginning of the college term immediately following the occurrence which resulted in the change in family circumstances.
The scheme also provides that, in the case of a grant holder who holds only a partial grant, where the income decreases to the extent that the amount of grant no longer corresponds to the income category in relation to which it was originally determined, the amount of the grant shall be increased to that appropriate to the category corresponding to the lower income.