Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 150: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary has been approved for fees only under the higher education grant scheme; and if she will arrange for the application to be reconsidered with a view to approving the maximum grant. [32480/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of my Department's third level student maintenance grant schemes, where the applicant is not an independent mature student, the reckonable income to be determined for the purposes of the award of the maintenance grant is income from all sources of the candidate and his/her parents or guardians where applicable.

The means test arrangements of the Student Maintenance Grant Schemes have been in operation since 1983 and are applied nationally. In the case of both the employed and self-employed gross income is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health board payments excluded.

In the 2006/2007 academic year where 2 or more children (or the candidate's parent) are pursuing a course of study listed below the reckonable income limits may be increased by €4,525 where there are 2 such children, €9,050 where there are 3 such children and so on, by increments of €4,525.

As all applications for financial support are means tested in accordance with the terms of the student maintenance grant schemes, a candidate shall not be eligible for a grant if the reckonable income for the purpose of the means testing is over the prescribed income limits irrespective of the individual circumstances.

Officials in my Department understand that the reckonable income in the case referred to by the Deputy entitled the person in question to a fees only grant as prescribed in the Higher Education Grant Scheme 2006.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding an application for funding for a third-level course by a person (details supplied) in County Clare; the action this person should take in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32496/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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If the Deputy could arrange to have the full details of the course and person in question forwarded to the Student Support Unit of my Department the matter will be examined further. A reply will issue directly to the person referred to by the Deputy regarding an application for funding once the case has been examined.