Vol. 546 No. 3
392 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason postgraduate students who commenced their courses prior to September 2000 are deemed ineligible to apply for a third higher education grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31550/01]
My Department understands that the Deputy's question relates to progression at postgraduate level, in the context of eligibility for a higher education maintenance grant.
Prior to 2000, the higher education grants scheme precluded grants being awarded to candidates who already held a postgraduate qualification and were pursuing a second postgraduate qualification.
However, in October 2000, I amended the student support schemes to provide financial assistance to eligible candidates who already hold a postgraduate qualification and who wish to enter a further postgraduate course at a higher level, which represents progression from the level at which the first qualification was attained. This amendment became operative from the 2000-01 academic year and, accordingly, students who were pursuing, in that year, a postgraduate course which represented progression, became eligible to receive a grant for maintenance and fees, subject to the other conditions of the grant scheme.
There are no plans at present to give retrospective effect to this amendment to cover academic years prior to 2000-01.
