5 Things you need to read today

1. Kenny to dismiss suggestions he will step down soon

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is expected to dismiss any suggestion of stepping down in the near future when he addresses his party’s TDs and Senators at a meeting in Leinster House tonight. It is understood Mr Kenny will not outline a timetable for his departure as Fine Gael leader despite recent calls on him to do so from some members of the parliamentary party. He will instead outline his priorities over the next few months, including a series of diplomatic engagements with European leaders and the passing of the budget after it is announced in October.

[ Sources have indicated Mr Kenny will make clear it is his intention to leave the party in a good position before announcing his resignation ]

. (http://iti.ms/29OJBKs)

2. Central Bank governor concerned about growth rate

Central Bank governor Philip Lane has raised concerns about the level of economic growth recorded in Ireland for 2015, which has been revised up to 26 per cent by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The reclassified rate, nearly four times that recorded in China for the same period, reflected a 102 per cent spike in net exports. However, the figures appear to have been hugely affected by a number of one-off factors, including activity in the aircraft leasing sector and restructuring by multinational companies involving the movement of patents.

[ The Irish Times has learned Prof Lane met the CSO on Monday and made known his concerns that the GDP growth figures do not accurately reflect economic activity in Ireland ]

. (http://iti.ms/29Gte4i)

3. Families could face new asset test for student grants

Families could face a controversial new capital asset test under reforms aimed at making the student grants system fairer. The proposal, contained in the Cassells report on funding higher education published this week,

[ is likely to face opposition among farmers and other groups who may have low declared incomes but significant assets ]

. The Cassells report states the grants system only considers income and takes no account of capital, assets or accumulated wealth. “The current model of student support maintenance grants should continue and should be enhanced to better reflect the real costs of participation, and better targeted by taking account of capital assets and accumulated wealth,” the report states. A 2012 study by the Higher Education Authority showed 40 per cent of farmers and close to 50 per cent of self-employed people secured a college grant for their children. (http://iti.ms/29OJIFY)

4. Young faring worse than pensioners, study shows

Younger people are having a tougher time of it in modern Ireland than the over-65s, new research has suggested. Far more of those aged 18-30 have multiple quality-of-life problems than people over 65, the research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has found. Financial strain, overcrowded housing and deprivation were among the most serious problems for young adults, while poor health and feeling unsafe were among the worrying issues for older people. Differences between social classes were also identified, with poorer adults significantly

[ more likely to have “multiple problems” than wealthier people ]

. Their problems include poverty, financial stress and housing quality and health. (http://iti.ms/29GumEX)

5. Rising rents push cost of college to €11,000 a year for some

Rising rents and other living costs means the cost of going to college for students living away from home will reach about €11,000 this year, according to latest estimates. The Dublin Institute of Technology’s annual cost-of-living guide shows that rent is now the single biggest cost for students living away from home. For students who live at home, the estimated annual cost of colleges this year will reach just over €6,800. The bulk of this cost includes the €3,000 student registration charges. These estimates come in the same week as the publication of a major report into the future funding of the higher education system, which found the system of grant support was

[ not enough to cover the cost of college ]

. (http://iti.ms/29OKrXS)

Misc

Missing:

[ YouTube documentary on Mary Boyle case removed ]

(http://iti.ms/29GvLva)

Politics:

[ Is Enda Kenny’s time finally running out? ]

(http://iti.ms/29OKy5C)

Environment:

[ Public views sought on new Dublin speed limits ]

(http://iti.ms/29GvTLq)