Bernard Allen
Ceist:123 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education if she plans to publish the interdepartmental report commissioned by her on anomalies in means tests for higher education grants.
Written Answers - Higher Education Grants.
The higher education grants scheme is subject to annual on-going review and is also subject to amendment in the light of such review. Apart from this on-going review, a more detailed review by an interdepartmental committee of the criteria for assessment of eligibility on grounds of means under the higher education and related grant schemes has been presented to me. When I have fully considered the findings of the interdepartmental review group, I shall be presenting proposals to Government for whatever changes in the scheme that are deemed necessary. This is an internal review and I do not propose to make the findings of the review group public. this is in line with existing practice. However, any changes in the scheme that may arise from the review group recommendations will, of course, be public.
Bernard Allen
Ceist:124 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education if she will consider proposals where, in the case of children of the self employed applying for grants, there should be directives in all income accounts that are acceptable as accurate for tax purposes and which would also be accepted as accurate for higher education grants.
In assessing income for purposes of the means test under the higher education grants scheme local authorities are not required to accept tax assessments by the Revenue Commissioners as the sole criterion for determining reckonable income or eligibility.
Local authorities may seek whatever documentation (e.g. certified accounts) as they deem necessary to enable them to determine reckonable income. There are no plans to limit their discretion in this respect.