Education Minister Ruairi Quinn says plans to include farm or business assets in the means-test for 3rd-level grants are "still on the table".

Yesterday the new Junior Agriculture Minister Tom Hayes said the proposals had been "dropped".

But the Education Minister has hit back at his new Cabinet colleague, saying he will bring a memo to Cabinet to include the assets from September of next year.

Farmers have previously said that the introduction of a means test for college grants that includes assets will deny access to higher education to many students from low income farm families.

IFA promises opposition

President of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) John Bryan said in March that the calculations being used are deeply flawed. He said if Minister Quinn proceeds with the proposal, the IFA would mount a vigorous campaign of opposition.

"The proposed threshold of €750,000 would buy a 75-acre farm. Depending on location, soil type and enterprise, it is ludicrous to suggest that every farm makes an income of over €40,000" he said.

"Whatever model was used to arrive at this, it bears no relation to reality. Equally, the implied income figures for any farm with a valuation over this threshold do not stand up to scrutiny".

"The introduction of an asset test that includes productive assets, such as farmland, will deny access to higher education to many students from low-income self-employed families. This will not be tolerated by IFA" he added.

Education Minister Ruairí Quinn says the plans have always been under consideration and will go ahead as planned.