John Gormley
Ceist:161 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the scholarships or funding available for Irish post-graduate students who wish to study abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12564/00]
Written Answers. - Scholarship Funding.
The funding of scholarships outside Ireland for Irish post-graduate students, for example, under the educational part of a cultural agreement, is a matter for the Minister for Education and Science.
As Minister for Foreign Affairs, I appoint four Irish citizens as members of the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange, under the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1991. The commission is better known as the Fulbright Commission, and is an independent, binational, statutory body. Four US citizens are appointed to the commission by the US Ambassador.
The commission offers post-graduate student awards to Irish citizens who wish to undertake study or research in the United States. The number and value of the awards is advertised in the national newspapers annually in the autumn.
In 1999, as a result of very generous sponsorship arising both from the US Ambassador's Cup Golf Tournament and from direct funding, the Fulbright Commission offered the following awards:
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Fulbright – American Ireland Fund Scholarship |
Deaf Studies (Gallaudet University, for a hearing-impaired student) |
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Fulbright – Bank of Ireland Scholarship |
Disability Studies |
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Fulbright – CRH Scholarship |
Business Studies |
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Fulbright – Dames and Moore Scholarship |
Environmental Studies |
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Fulbright – Elan Corporation Scholarship |
Science and Technology |
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Fulbright – Guinness Ireland Group Scholarship |
Visual and Performing Arts |
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Fulbright – Hewlett Packard Scholarship |
Science and Technology |
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Fulbright – Intel Scholarship |
Science and Technology |
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Fulbright – Jean Kennedy Smith Scholarship |
Science and Technology for an applicant with a disability (any field) |
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Fulbright – Riverdance Scholarship |
Dance (Boston College: applicants for this scholarship need not have an academic qualification.) |
Fulbright scholarships in any field were also offered.
The value of the awards was between US$5,000 and $15,000, most being of $10,000. Smaller awards are also offered to university lecturers and professors.