Vol. 483 No. 5
154 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will instruct Mayo County Council, similar to other local authorities, on the possibility of paying out third level grants in sterling rather than in IR£ to Mayo students studying in England. [20878/97]
In my written reply of 12 November 1997 to a parliamentary question on this matter from the Deputy, I outlined the administrative procedures which were agreed between my Department and the local authorities in respect of the payment of maintenance grants to students studying in Northern Ireland and in other EU member states. My Department has recently been in contact with Mayo County Council and it is understood that maintenance grants to students studying abroad are paid in IR£.
My Department is writing to all local authorities, including Mayo County Council, to advise that students pursuing approved courses in other EU member states (including Northern Ireland) are to be paid the Irish value of the grant converted to the currency of the country in which they are studying.
