Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

During the recent phase of kite-flying by the Minister for Education and Science, one of his last ideas was to streamline the system of means testing for higher education grants. He said he will make the system more sophisticated and to do this he will involve the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and the Department of Education and Science. The whole scheme will probably be centralised. Does this demonstrate a lack of confidence in the current providers of means tests, namely the local authorities and the VECs?

If his aim is to provide better access for the disadvantaged and other groups he should consider the statistics, which show that children of those who are self-employed receive 35% or 36% of all grants. The Minister said the system will be reformed during the lifetime of the Government rather than during his tenure in office. Despite the fact that he recently announced an increase of 2% in maintenance grants, which is derisory in the current climate——