IFA CALLS FOR SUPPORT IN PLANS TO REFORM STUDENT GRANT ELIGIBILITY

Date Published: 28-Aug-2012

Galway East Deputy Colm Keaveney is being urged to consider the needs of Galway farm families as part of any review of the qualifying rules for student grants.

It follows a meeting between the Labour Party Chairperson and a delegation of farm families this week led by IFA Vice President Padraic Divilly.

In a statement to FYI Galway, Deputy Keaveney says the meeting was positive and added that the debate on the issue to date has been “unfairly focused on the farming community”.

IFA Vice President Padraic Divilly has stressed that farm families CANNOT use capital allowances or other investments in plant and machinery to reduce their income for grant eligibility purposes.

However Deputy Keaveney says that while a farmer should NOT be forced to sell land to pay for education, inherited wealth or significant assets separate to those used to earn a living, should be taken into account in any new means test.

He adds that we need to reform the application process so that it provides clarity and trust in the process for all sectors, including farm families.

Deputy Keaveny has now called on the IFA “to focus its energies on resisting the prospect of a student loan scheme and to support Labour in an endeavour to maintain the current student grant system”.