Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 20 Mar 2002

Vol. 550 No. 4

Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

684 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will review the refusal of a third level education maintenance grant to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8343/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

The case of the student, referred to by the Deputy, was recently forwarded to my Department by Waterford County Council for guidance regarding the assessment of reckonable income.

Under the terms of the third level student support schemes, a candidate's reckonable income for the purposes of the means test is his or her gross income from all sources and the gross income of his/her parents or guardians where applicable, with certain specified social welfare and health board payments, as follows, being exempt: child benefit; family income supplement; disability allowance, where paid to the candidate; blind pension, where paid to the candidate; means-tested one parent family payments; orphan's pensions; back to education allowance; foster care allowance; domiciliary care allowance and carer's allowance.

According to the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, the one parent family payment, referred to above, is a means tested payment for both men and women who, for a variety of reasons, are bringing up a child, or children, without the support of a partner. A person who is unmarried or widowed, is eligible to apply for this payment.

My Department understands that the mother of the student in question is in receipt of a pension from the South Eastern Health Board and a contributory widow's pension, payable by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs. Both these payments are considered as reckonable income for the purposes of determining eligibility under the student support schemes. Child dependant allowance, which forms part of the contributory widow's pension payment, would also be included as reckonable income.

My Department understands that the other payment in question is an allowance received by the student from the South Eastern Health Board arising from her late father's employment with the board. As it is not one of the specified exclusions, it must also be included in the calculation of reckonable income for grant purposes.

It is not open to me, or my Department, to depart from the terms of the student support schemes in individual cases. However, I will review the position regarding the inclusion of an orphan's payment in the assessment of means and will let the Deputy know the position as soon as possible.

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

685 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science the orphan's payments from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs or public bodies which are disregarded for means-testing purposes for third level education grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8344/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

Under the terms of the third level maintenance grant schemes, the reckonable income of a candidate, other than an independent mature candidate, for the purposes of the means test is his or her gross income from all sources and the gross income of his or her parents/guardians, where applicable. In the case of an independent mature student, reckonable income is his or her gross income from all sources and, where applicable, the gross income of his or her spouse.

The following social welfare and health board payments are excluded in the calculation of reckonable income for the purposes of the schemes: child benefit; family income supplement; disability allowance, where paid to the candidate; blind pension, where paid to the candidate; means-tested one parent family payment; orphan's pensions; back to education allowance; foster care allowance; domiciliary care allowance and carer's allowance.