Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to introduce grant aid for students pursuing NVQ level courses in Northern Ireland (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26036/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of my Department's higher education grants scheme and the vocational education committees' scholarship scheme, grant assistance is available to eligible students attending approved third level courses in approved institutions. An approved course for the purpose of the schemes means a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years duration and a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year's duration pursued in an approved institution.

Students from this State who are attending undergraduate courses in Northern Ireland can apply for maintenance grants in respect of approved courses generally at higher national diploma level or higher, which are pursued in colleges approved for the purpose of the schemes.

There are no plans at present to change this position. Any extension of the scope of the grants scheme, can be considered only in the light of available resources and competing demands within the education sector.