Vol. 429 No. 1
107 Ms. McManus asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that children are being prevented from availing of higher education grants because local authorities are insisting on the payment of outstanding bills, such as water charges, before higher education grants are paid to the students; her views on whether this is a discriminatory practice that should be abolished; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
109 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education the reason her Department insists on disallowing finance leases as a legitimate expense when determining eligibility for higher education grants especially when these expenses are allowable when determining income tax liability.
I am taking Questions Nos. 107 and 109 together.
In accordance with the Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government is committed to the promotion of social justice and equity in widening access to third level education and to continuing improvements in the Higher Education Grants Scheme.
The issues raised by the Deputies are being examined as part of an on-going review of the Higher Education Grants Scheme and also in the context of developing the 1993 schemes.
While I do not wish to pre-empt that examination, I wish to put on record my determination, within the constraints of Exchequer resources, to remedy any obvious inequities or anomalies in the scheme.
