Vol. 508 No. 1
802 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on the serious hardship which students attending the universities in Ulster and other third level institutions are experiencing due to the exchange rate being offered which significantly reduces the value of their grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17231/99]
In 1996, the student support schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants to undergraduate students pursuing approved third level courses in other EU member states. Prior to this, grants were only payable to students pursuing approved courses in the Republic and in Northern Ireland. In this context and following discussions with the local authorities regarding the necessary administrative arrangements, it was agreed that students pursuing approved courses in other EU member states – including Northern Ireland – would be paid the value of the grant in the currency of the country in which they were studying and that the value of the maintenance grant to be paid in all circumstances would be the Irish value converted to the currency of the country in which the student is pursuing his or her course.
