Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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1259. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to change the means test for the higher education grant to take into account outgoings such as mortgages and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33330/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, 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 decisions in different households. In the interest of equity, I have no plans to change this arrangement.