asked the Minister for Education if his attention has been drawn to a recent report in a magazine (details supplied) that 3,173 students from the Republic of Ireland attend universities in Britain; if he will comment on the implications for such students and to Irish universities from September 1980 in the light of the decision of the British Government that all foreign students should pay the full cost of their education when attending British universities from September 1980; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - British Universities' Irish Students.
366.
I am aware of the report to which the Deputy refers. It does not state that 3,173 students from the Republic of Ireland attend universities in Britain. I understand that the number of such students attending universities would be in the order of 300, while a further 350-400 attend polytechnics and corresponding further education and higher education institutions. A high proportion of the Irish students in British universities are post-graduate students.
The decision of the British Government will, of course, present a problem for the Irish students concerned. The degree of its impact for the individual student will be related to the student's financial circumstances. Most of the students involved attend on the basis of scholarships or studentships.
It is not anticipated that the additional number of Irish students likely to seek places in institutions of higher education as a consequence of the decision will be very great in any one year and the implications for the Irish universities would not be significant.