The Irish Farmers Association has reiterated its opposition to productive assets, such as farmland, being assessed as part of a means test for third-level maintenance grants.
IFA president John Bryan said yesterday that, if such proposals are brought to Cabinet by Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn, they would be met with a “vigorous campaign” of opposition from the IFA.
“These assets are required by self-employed businesses to generate income, and are not a measure of additional ability to pay,” Mr Bryan said.
He said the existing method of assessment of self-employed income for the maintenance grant disallowed a number of expenses that were included in income tax computation.