Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 479: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on whether it is fair that his Department at the information meeting in Tullamore in 2008 regarding the third level grants, stressed that in cases in which divorced parents have joint custody of their children but no maintenance is being paid that both spouses income will be reckoned for means test purposes in respect of eligibility for third level grants even when one of the parents has remarried; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36912/08]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 480: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will review the withdrawal of a third level grant from a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36913/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 479 and 480 together.

Under the terms of my Department's 2008 Maintenance Grant Schemes, when assessing the means of students other than independent mature students, the means test provision of the scheme specifies that the students' means and those of their parents or guardians must be below a prescribed limit. This provision requires that parental income be taken into account.

In cases where the parents/guardians of a candidate are divorced or separated the Scheme provides that means assessment on the basis of the income of the parent/guardian awarded custody may occur. The details of the separation or divorce proceedings will advise on the custody arrangements. In cases where one parent/guardian has custody the awarding authorities will take that income, together with the maintenance payments paid by the other parent/guardian, into account. In cases where joint custody exists the income of both parents/guardians is taken into account. This provision was clarified for the awarding authorities at a briefing day on the administration of the grant schemes in Tullamore during 2008 to ensure consistency of assessment practice.