Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

With respect to the Government's Brexit contingency action plan, earlier this year the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, announced that after Brexit students from the North who wished to study in a third level college in the 2019-20 academic year would still be eligible for the Department's free fees and student grants scheme. He said the position would be reviewed for the 2020-21 academic year. I recently met Dr. Michael Mulvey, president of Dundalk Institute of Technology, and separately representatives of the Teachers Union of Ireland. I also facilitated a meeting between public representatives from the North and the institute of technology. The Taoiseach might know that 1,319 students from the North attend third level college and universities here, of whom 250 are in Dundalk Institute of Technology. As they are clearly concerned about the availability of free fees and grant schemes beyond next year, will the Taoiseach tell us whether it is the Government's intention to continue them?

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