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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Oct 1999

Vol. 509 No. 1

Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.

Question:

323 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason for allowing post-graduate students to obtain a maintenance grant when attending college in Northern Ireland while other students cannot obtain a similar grant if they attend college as a post-graduate student in other parts of Britain; his views on whether this distinction in terms of the operation of the grant is equitable; the proposals, if any, he has to rectify this distinction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19449/99]

Batt O'Keeffe

Batt O'Keeffe

Batt O'Keeffe

Question:

350 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Science if funding for research costs will be made available to a person (details supplied) in Cork to enable her to complete her PhD at the University of Oxford. [19782/99]

Nora Owen

Nora Owen

Nora Owen

Question:

354 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will allow maintenance grants to be paid for postgraduate students in the United Kingdom in the same way they are paid to qualified undergraduates; and if he will arrange to do this for this year 1999-2000. [19876/99]

Micheál Martin

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 323, 350 and 354 together.

The arrangement whereby students pursuing post-graduate courses at approved colleges in Northern Ireland can apply for grants in respect of their fees and maintenance has historically been a feature of the higher education grants scheme. In 1996-97, the student support schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants to eligible student's following full-time under-graduate courses of at least two years duration in another 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. Certain courses are excluded, such as courses which are subject to quotas on intake in Ireland. The extension of the schemes at that time did not include courses at post-graduate level and accordingly, there is no grant aid available for students pursuing post-graduate studies at English universities, such as the University of Oxford.
I am not in a position to extend the current arrangements with effect from the current year and, indeed, I should point out that any extension of the current arrangements to provide for students pursuing post-graduate courses in other parts of Britain and to the EU generally, could only be considered in the light of available resources and other competing demands within the education sector.
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