Vol. 471 No. 6
53 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education if she will restore grants to students from Ireland studying in the United Kingdom who have to date been deemed ineligible as a result of an instruction from her Department. [18967/96]
The schemes of student support provide for the extension of means tested maintenance grants in the 1996-97 academic year to students following full-time undergraduate courses of at least two years duration in an EU member state. The course must be followed in a university or third level institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds. The following courses are excluded:
(i) Postgraduate courses.
(ii) Courses in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine — which are subject to a Higher Education Authority quota on places — and teacher training including those leading to the award of Bachelor of Education — also subject to a quota.
(iii) Courses in colleges of further and higher education.
(iv) Courses in colleges akin to private commercial colleges in Ireland.
(v) Courses provided in colleges in Britain which are offered in a private commercial third level college in Ireland and which are validated by that British college.
Students who are already pursuing an approved course at undergraduate level in an EU member state other than Ireland and Northern Ireland are also eligible to apply for a maintenance grant. To be eligible for grant aid under the schemes of student support all students must fulfil the conditions as to residence, age, academic attainments, means and nationality.
If the Deputy has specific instances of students being deemed ineligible who appear to meet the terms of the schemes I will be glad to have them examined by my Department.
