Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 512: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if funding is available to assist Irish students studying in the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2845/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under my Department's higher education grant schemes, maintenance grants are available to eligible students pursuing approved undergraduate courses in other EU member states, including the United Kingdom. In general, approved courses are those pursued in a third level institution, which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds.

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. In addition, tax relief on tuition fees is available in respect of approved courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level in other EU member states.

While the current exchange rate issues with sterling are appreciated, my Department is not in a position to supplement grant aid for students pursuing courses in the United Kingdom. Moreover, such an approach could well give rise to anomalies and to claims of inequitable treatment between students studying in different countries.