Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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501. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills with reference to those who are self-employed in the dairy farming sector, to make the student grant scheme more accessible by allowing applicants to be re-assessed on their current accounts as circumstances change (details supplied) given the significant downturn in business over the last year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4596/16]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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All applications for a maintenance grant are means tested based on the reckonable income for the previous tax year.

Article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme allows for the review of eligibility during the academic year, if there is a permanent change in circumstance, relating to a number of events including a drop in reckonable income which is likely to obtain for the duration of the approved course or for the foreseeable future.

Any candidate, whether employed or self-employed, who experiences a reduction in reckonable income of a permanent nature, may apply to have their eligibility reviewed under the change in circumstances clause.

Where a candidate can provide satisfactory documentary evidence to the awarding authority to prove that the reduction in income is permanent, then their grant eligibility can be reviewed based on their current income as opposed to the previous year's income.