Vol. 481 No. 6
16 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science if he proposes to change the criteria for determining eligibility for free fees in terms of the five year residency rule in order to enable returned emigrants and their children to qualify. [16722/97]
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 entry to their third-level course.
My attention has been drawn to the question of eligibility of Irish nationals and-or their children who emigrate outside the European Union for relatively short periods of time and subsequently return to Ireland to pursue third level education.
I have asked my officials to examine the residency requirements under the initiative in the light of practice elsewhere. Following this examination, I will be in a position to determine whether changes in the residency requirements would be justified.
