Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú:

Again, we do need standardised means testing. I think that is very important and that is what I am referring to, the standardised means testing. The system of entry to higher education is a matter for the institutions and we do have a separate fund which we give the institutions, which is for discretionary use in particular cases. We do not think that any discretion should be exercised centrally and nationally. We believe discretion should be exercised in the local case where somebody is in dire need of financial support. That helped a lot in the initial year of SUSI and we are aware of that.

It is very difficult to have room for discretion in the application of a means test but there are always areas where it is difficult and challenging for SUSI to make calls. The independence issue, for example, is one of those.