I understand the person referred to by the Deputy is due to commence a postgraduate course of study in the UK in the 2003-04 academic year.
As and from the 1996-97 academic year, the terms of my Department's student support schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants to eligible students pursuing approved full-time undergraduate courses of at least two years duration in another EU member state, including the UK. The extension of the schemes at that time did not include courses at postgraduate level and, accordingly, there is no grant aid available under the schemes, for students pursuing postgraduate studies outside of Ireland.
Any extension of the current arrangements to provide for students pursuing post-graduate courses outside Ireland could only be considered in the light of available resources and other competing demands within the education section.