Vol. 510 No. 6
404 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science if the decision not to renew the ESF funding for a person (details supplied) in County Waterford will be reviewed in view of the large costs involved and the fact that he had the grant for the first two years of his course and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23646/99]
The European social fund aided third level course maintenance grants scheme is administered by the Vocational Education Committees. Under the terms of the scheme, grants are tenable for the normal duration of the approved course and are renewable annually subject to satisfactory attainment and the approval of the VEC. Grants are provisional for the year in which they are first awarded and are only continued in subsequent academic years where the VEC is satisfied that the provisions of the scheme continue to be complied with fully. Where a candidate is being re-assessed the current reckonable income limits are applied.
I understand from County Waterford Vocational Education Committee that the reckonable income in his case exceeds the current income limits for the award of a grant in respect of the 1999-2000 academic year and therefore the candidate to whom the Deputy refers is ineligible for grant assistance in respect of the current year.
The assessment of means under the third level student support schemes is based on gross income with certain deductions for specified social welfare and health board payments. Any proposal to move to a means assessment system based on net income would have significant financial implications in addition to equity issues which would have to be addressed. These means test arrangements have been in operation since 1983 and are applied nationally.
