Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 476: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a grant is available to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11 to pursue a course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3989/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Higher Education Grants Schemes operate under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Under the Higher Education Grants Scheme an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution. An approved institution is defined to mean a university, university college or other institution of higher education in so far as it provides a course or courses of not less than two years duration, being a course, or courses, which the Minister for Education and Science approves for the time being for the purposes of the Acts. Each Year, the Higher Education Grants Scheme specifies a list of approved institutions for the purposes of the Schemes. The approved institutions mainly comprise of public funded third level institutions. In this regard, National Training Centre, Dorset Street, Dublin 7 is not an approved college for the purpose of the Scheme. There are no plans at present to extend the scope of the student support schemes to private colleges or part-time courses.