asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the grants available to Irish students to pursue their studies elsewhere in Europe; the type of grants available; the number allocated in 1983 and 1984; the total cost of them for each year; the total contribution made by the EEC authorities for these grants; the purpose of these grants; the locations of the institutions where Irish students are based or will be based; the type of degrees, diplomas and certificates available to Irish students as a result of these studies; the overall benefits of these studies to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
530.
My Department does not award grants to students to enable them to study elsewhere in Europe. Neither do health agencies operate a formal grant system for such students. An agency may occasionally sponsor a person to undertake a course of training in a discipline which is not otherwise readily available to it. The arrangements are a matter for the sponsoring agency and I do not have details. However, it is a usual requirement that the student undertakes employment with the sponsor for a specific period on completion of training.