Assets test for student grants will not go ahead

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has conceded his plans to have capital assets included for student grant applications will not go ahead because of Coalition disagreement.

The proposal has been under fire since the Labour minister announced it in Dec 2011, particularly from farming organisations and Fine Gael TDs concerned about rural voters. The measure was initially estimated to save his department €14 million a year and was due to be introduced by last autumn.

But despite having a review since last year recommending how machinery, property or other assets could be assessed, Mr Quinn failed to win approval.