Vol. 509 No. 3
83 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason maintenance grants are not available to Irish students doing primary teacher training in United Kingdom training colleges, with the exception of those training in Northern Ireland; and if he will consider having these courses eligible for maintenance grant purposes. [20104/99]
In 1996, the student support schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants to undergraduate students pursuing approved third level courses in other EU member states.
Prior to this, grants were only payable to students who were pursuing approved courses in the Republic and Northern Ireland. In general, the approved courses in other EU member states are full-time undergraduate courses of not less than two years duration pursued in a university or third level institution, which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds. There are however a number of excepted courses including those in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and teacher training courses including those leading to the award of Bachelor of Education, on the basis that these courses in Ireland were subject to a quota based on policy decisions on the appropriate levels of graduate output.
I have asked my officials to review the arrangements applying under the student support schemes in relation to primary teacher training courses and indeed, all of the excepted courses, pursued in other EU member states.
