Means test to include savings, not working assets

The Government has moved to calm fears that the children of farmers and small business owners will lose college grants, saying money stored in bank accounts — and not working assets — will be subject to means testing.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn said nobody could “reasonably assert an opinion that this sector cannot even be looked at” but that: “This is not about farmers, it’s about fairness.”

The proposals are causing deep divisions in Cabinet, with many Fine Gael backbenchers strongly opposed to the idea. But Mr Quinn appeared to soften his stance on the issue and said the proposal would not be discussed at Cabinet until after Easter.