Grants and Scholarships awarded under my Department's student support system are tenable only in approved institutions in Ireland.
The extension of the student support schemes to provide for the payment of maintenance grants to Irish students pursuing courses in third level institutions in Britain is likely to have significant financial implications. I am obliged because of limited Exchequer resources to identify priorities in the targeting of student support. In this context my priority has to be to give financial assistance to students ordinarily resident in Ireland who because of family circumstances might not other wise be in a position to proceed to third level education in Ireland. I will however keep the matter under review.