Vol. 440 No. 7
294 Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education the funding, if any, that is available to pursue a degree course in England that is not available in Ireland; and whether any maintenance grant is available for such students subject to the normal means test requirements.
Grants are available under the grant schemes only in respect of attendance at third level courses in Ireland. No funding is provided in respect of attendance at courses outside the country.
295 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Education the proposals, if any, she has to base elegibility for third level education grants on net rather than gross income; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I have no proposals to base eligibility for third level grants on net income. Net income is the result of personal financial decisions. Two taxpayers with the same gross income can have markedly different net income if, for instance, one decides to rent a house and the other decides to take on a mortgage to buy a house. To avoid discrimination on the basis of what are personal financial decisions gross income will continue to be the basis on which the assessment of eligibility for third level grants will be made.
