Michael Creed
Question:331 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science the types of funding or financial assistance available to post-graduate students. [10815/01]
Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.
Students studying at post-graduate level may apply for financial assistance under the terms of the higher education grants scheme or, if appropriate, the vocational education committees' scholarship scheme.
Generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses at undergraduate or post-graduate level for the first time are eligible for maintenance grants where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to age, residence, means and nationality.
For the year 2000-2001 the non-adjacent and adjacent rates of maintenance grant are £1,775 and £710 respectively. A post-graduate grantholder is also eligible to have his-her fees paid up to a maximum amount of £3,064.
Last October I amended the student support schemes to provide financial assistance to eligible candidates who already hold a post-graduate qualification and who wish to enter a further post-graduate course at a higher level, which represents progression from the level at which the first qualification was attained. This amendment is operative from the current academic year, 2000/01.
Section 21 of the Finance Act, 2000, provided for the introduction of tax relief for post-graduate fees paid in publicly funded colleges here and in other EU member states, as well as in private colleges in the State. This relief, which is available for the tax year 2000-2001 onwards, applies at the standard rate of tax and is available to full-time and part-time post-graduate students. Further details and conditions in relation to this tax relief are available from local tax offices.
Increasing the number of people with higher degrees is an important national strategic objective. Apart from the general strategic objective of ensuring a vibrant pool of high quality post-graduates, the success of the substantial investment in our research capability is dependent on an adequate supply of high quality graduates.
In this regard, Government of Ireland research scholarships are awarded by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences. More than 200 post-graduate scholarships have been awarded by the council since its establishment in 1998, including 93 awards for the academic year 2000-2001. These awards attract a maintenance allowance of £8,000 per annum for a maximum of three years.
Recently I announced the establishment of the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology. The new council will be putting in place, within these fields of study, similar post-graduate scholarship arrangements to those applying in the humanities and social science areas.
Under the programme for research in third level institutions, which is co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund, third level institutions compete for funding for institutional research programmes. These programmes can include the awarding by the colleges of post-graduate scholarships. A total of 236 such awards have been made since the launch of the first cycle of the programme in 1999. Theper capita amount awarded for scholarships varies according to the institution and field of study.
In 2000 49 post-graduate scholarships were awarded under the post-graduate research and development skills development initiative in the technological sector. These scholarships are valued at some £7,000 annually.