Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 398: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if non-EU nationals, who have been given leave to remain here on the basis of being the parent of an Irish born child, are entitled to funding for undergraduate full-time third level courses at recognised third level colleges in respect of fees and maintenance grants. [36319/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of the higher education grants scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, means and previous academic attainment. The nationality requirement, as set out in clause 4.5 of the higher education grant scheme 2005, states: "Candidates must:—

∙hold E.U. Nationality; or

∙have Official Refugee Status; or

∙have been granted Humanitarian Leave to Remain in the State; or

∙have permission to remain in the State by virtue of marriage to an Irish national residing in the State or be the child of such person, not having EU nationality; or

∙have permission to remain in the State by virtue of marriage to a national of another EU member state who is residing in the State and who is or has been employed, or self-employed, in the State, or be the child of such a person, not having EU nationality; or

∙be nationals of a member country of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland."

A non-EU national who has been granted permission to remain in the state on the basis of parentage of an Irish born child, I regret that they do not comply with the above conditions and is ineligible for grant assistance under the nationality requirements of the scheme. Students who have been given leave to remain on the basis of being the parent of an Irish born child are not eligible for consideration under my Department free tuition schemes.