Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 333: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if financial assistance is available for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5833/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In 1996-97, 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 other EU member states, including the UK. The courses must be followed in a university or third level institution, which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds. The extension of the schemes at that time did not extend to courses at postgraduate level. Students attending approved courses in other EU member states are subject to the same conditions of funding as students attending approved courses in the State. The main conditions of funding relate to age, residence, means, nationality and previous academic attainment.

Tax relief on tuition fees is available in respect of approved courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level in other EU member states. In recent years, the UK authorities introduced a number of changes in the financial support arrangements for students pursuing courses at further and higher education institutions. These included the introduction of an annual tuition fee for students entering further and higher education institutions for the first time from the 1998-99 academic year and the replacement of maintenance grants by student loans to be phased in from that year also. All EU students, including Irish students, are eligible for consideration for grant assistance towards the tuition fee subject to the same conditions as apply to UK students.