The Education (Student Support) (Amendment) Regulations 2002

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2002 (“the Regulations”) which came into force on 25th February 2002.

The amendment to regulation 2(1) of the Regulations replaces the definitions of “higher cost country” and “high cost country” with one definition of “high cost country” (regulation 3(2)).

The amendments to regulation 2(3) of the Regulations correct drafting errors (regulation 3(3)).

The amendment to regulation 15(8) provides that where eligibility for grant for travel, books and equipment expenditure arises from eligibility for grant under regulation 15(1), it arises only if the grant under regulation 15(1) is in respect of a dependent child (regulation 5).

The amendments to regulations 20 and 24 of the Regulations provide that a student can obtain the maximum amount of loan if he attends a part of his course at an overseas institution for a period of least eight weeks. The student’s attendance need not be a necessary part of his course (regulations 7 and 8).

There are also consequential amendments to regulation 12(3)(d) of the Regulations in relation to eligibility for grants for living costs, regulation 13(2)(c)(iii) of the Regulations in relation to eligibility for disabled students' costs and regulation 18(1)(b) and (4) of the Regulations in relation to eligibility for grants for travel (regulations 4 and 6).

The new regulation 30(12) provides that in relation to the assessment of a part-time student’s financial resources where the student’s income is subject to the income tax legislation of the Republic of Ireland, his income for 1st January 2001 to 31st December 2001 shall be treated as his income for the period 6th April to 31st December of the same year. The latter period shall be treated as the financial year notwithstanding that it is less than 12 months in duration (regulation 9).

The new sub-paragraph (1A) to paragraph 2 of Schedule 3 to the Regulations provides that in relation to the assessment of parental contribution where the student’s parent’s income is subject to the income tax legislation of the Republic of Ireland, the parent’s income for 1st January 2001 to 31st December 2001 shall be treated as income for the period 6th April to 31st December of the same year. The latter period shall be treated as the financial year notwithstanding that it is less than 12 months in duration (regulation 10).