John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 93: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) will not qualify for the top-up payment of a higher education grant. [40783/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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To qualify for the special rate of grant, an applicant must qualify for the ordinary grant in respect of the 2009/10 academic year. In addition, total reckonable income must not exceed a specified amount, which is €22,308 in the 2008 tax year. Finally, on the operative date, 31st December 2008 for the 2009/10 academic year, the reckonable income must include one of the eligible long-term social welfare payments prescribed under the scheme.

An appeal was received in respect of the person referred to by the Deputy by my Department. Officials in my Department examined the student's appeal in detail and a response was issued to the candidate on the 14th of June 2010. My Department upheld the decision not to award the special rate of grant in this instance as the reckonable income exceeded the income limit of €22,308. The terms and conditions of the student grant schemes are applied impartially and accordingly, it is not possible to make an exception in an individual case.