Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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176. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the Student Universal Support Ireland application (details supplied) is assessed on the basis of gross income. [46706/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The assessment of means under my Department's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources. Therefore, all income is assessed from the same starting point, eliminating any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions.

The means test arrangements of the student grant scheme are applied nationally. In the case of both employed and self-employed applicants, gross income is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded.

The eligibility of an applicant, or the level of the grant awarded, may be re-assessed by the awarding authority in the event of a change of circumstances in the academic year.

I have no plans at present to depart from the above practice in respect of the determination of income.

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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177. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the Student Universal Support Ireland reckonable income includes student's income (details supplied). [46707/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Assessment of means under my Department's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources of the applicant and his/her parent(s)/legal guardian, where applicable, with certain social welfare and health service executive payments being exempt.

It is necessary, therefore, that information regarding all income, including that from after school/weekend employment, is accounted for when completing the grant application form. However, in the assessment of means, allowance is made for "holiday earnings" on the part of the applicant and accordingly a deduction is allowed for reasonable holiday earnings i.e. income earned by the applicant from employment outside of term time but within the reference period. A maximum deduction of €3,809 may be applied to student earnings outside of term time but within the reference period.

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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178. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that the Student Universal Support Ireland grant threshold for fewer than four children is €39,875 and that the higher education access route scheme thresholds for fewer than four children is €48,811, the reason there is a difference of €8,936 in income level. [46708/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The income threshold of €48,811 referred to by the Deputy was the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) income threshold for students applying for entry in 2014.

For 2015 the income thresholds for HEAR applicants have changed to match the higher threshold of the current Student Grant Scheme, for the award of 25% part maintenance.

The income limits for HEAR and the Student Grant Scheme are shown on the table. The income threshold for HEAR for students applying for entry 2015.