Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2004
125 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the way in which the third level grant means test treats family income supplement and farm assist payments; and if both these payments are treated as income. [6483/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the means test provisions of my Department's student maintenance grant schemes, a candidate's reckonable income for the purposes of the award of a grant is the candidate's gross income from all sources and that of his/her parents or guardians, where applicable. The following social welfare and health board payments are excluded when calculating a candidate's reckonable income: 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 pension; back to education allowance; foster care allowance; domiciliary care allowance; and carer's allowance.
As family income supplement is one of the excluded payments, it is not included in the calculation of reckonable income for grant purposes. As farm assist is not one of the excluded payments, it is considered in the calculation of reckonable income for grant purposes.
