Vol. 550 No. 2
582 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if there are categories other than overtime payments which may be considered for the purpose of reassessment where it can be proved that such payments are not of a recurring nature when assessing reckonable income for change of circumstances in the higher education grant scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7658/02]
Under the terms of the maintenance grant schemes, the candidate's reckonable income for purposes of the means test is his or her gross income from all sources and the gross income of his or her parents or guardians where applicable. Certain social welfare and health board payments are not taken into account in the calculation of reckonable income. For the purposes of the 2001 schemes, reckonable income refers to all amounts received within the tax year ended 5 April 2001. The schemes contain a change in circumstances clause whereby the eligibility of a person may be assessed or reassessed by the grant awarding body in the event of changes, in circumstances relating to inter alia the candidate's reckonable income, which are likely to be permanent.
