The Dail has been told that if Education Minister Ruari Quinn insists in including capital assets in the means testing of families for student grants, then farmers will inevitably lose out.
The issue was raised by Donegal TD and Fianna Fail Education Spokesperson Charlie Mc Conalogue, whio called for the idea to be abandoned.
However, Junior Minister Fergus O’Dowd said this provision is in line with the recommendations of several reports, and would not discriminate against farmers………..
Responding, Deputy Mc Conalogue said if the government goes ahead with this measure, it will effectively be telling many farmers that of they want to send there children to college, they will have to sell some of the land they use to generate their income.
He said this is fundamentally unfair……………
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