Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 648: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24 has been deemed ineligible for a grant for a course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27350/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that the person referred to by the Deputy is due to commence a postgraduate course of study in the U.K. in September, 2006.

The Third Level Student Support Schemes, administered by the Local Authorities and Vocational Education Committees, on behalf of my Department do not extend to postgraduate study outside of the island of Ireland.

Any extension of the current arrangements to provide for students pursuing postgraduate courses outside of the island of Ireland could only be considered in the light of available resources and other competing demands within the education section.

However, the Deputy may be aware that Section 21 of the Finance Act 2000, as amended by Section 29 of the Finance Act 2001, provides for the introduction of tax relief for postgraduate tuition fees paid in third level colleges outside of Ireland. This relief, which has been available from the tax year 2000/01 onwards, applies at the standard rate of tax. It is available to full-time and part time postgraduate students and includes distance education courses offered here by publicly funded colleges in other EU Member States. Further details and conditions in relation to this tax relief are available from local Tax Offices.