Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Sep 1997

Vol. 480 No. 6

Written Answers - Higher Education Grants.

Noel Ahern

Ceist:

616 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Education if he will examine the case for free third-level fees for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; the reason this person is being treated as a non-EU national and denied free fees; the reason this country does not have the same exemptions to this EU rule as our EU partners; and if he will approve free fees from 1997 in view of the fact that this person has the required offer. [14991/97]

Minister for Education (Mr. Martin):

Under the free fees initiative, tuition fees are payable in respect of eligible EU nationals who have been ordinarily resident in an EU member state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third-level course.

Arising from the Deputy's query regarding the exemptions in other EU member states, my Department is making inquiries about the position in the UK. I will advise the Deputy of the outcome of these inquiries and their relevance to the arrangements in force here.