Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 22 Oct 1998

Vol. 495 No. 6

Written Answers - Higher Education Grants.

Dick Spring

Question:

32 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Education and Science the proposals, if any, he has to relax the rules of the third level maintenance grant system to allow students to be funded more than once for post-graduate studies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20739/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

Under the terms of the third level student support schemes, grants are not payable to candidates who already hold a post-graduate qualification and are pursuing a second post-graduate qualification.

Any extension of the current arrangements, as suggested by the Deputy, could only be considered in the light of available resources and the competing demands within the education sector. Due to overall resource constraints I have no plans at present to relax the rules as suggested by the Deputy.

Over 3,200 students pursuing postgraduate studies were in receipt of grants under the third level student support schemes in the 1996/97 academic year.

I would also like to advise the Deputy that, in the general area of postgraduate funding, I have provided an additional £5 million for research activity in 1998. Of this additional funding £4 million has been allocated to a number of third level colleges to promote a strategic approach to the long-term development of research, £0.5 million for the Government of Ireland Scholarships for research in the Humanities and Social Sciences and the remaining £0.5 million for basic research grants under the scheme administered by Enterprise Ireland.