Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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202. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if persons may include mortgage payments and household outgoings in their assessment under the Student Universal Support Ireland scheme; if there is any way in which these can be included; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24084/15]

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 means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied nationally on the same basis to both employed and self-employed applicants. Gross income before the deduction of income tax or universal social charge, is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded.

Therefore, 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. No allowances can be made for outgoings i.e. mortgage repayments, utilities, travel, medical expenses etc.

In the interest of equity, I have no plans to change the current arrangement.