Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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96. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to review the higher education grant scheme to assess income based on net rather than gross income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19387/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Student grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. The assessment of income from the same starting point is deemed to be fair and reasonable because this approach eliminates any distortion which might arise from different spending arrangements in different households. In the interest of equity, I currently have no plans to change this procedure.