Written answers

Tuesday, 26 June 2007

Department of Education and Science

Higher Education Grants

10:00 pm

Photo of Willie PenroseWillie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 515: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps she will take to ensure that a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath who undertook a course which was extremely important to them in the context of their medical condition, will have the fees paid in respect thereof of which details have already been furnished to her Department; if there are other additional courses available to this person; if her Department will take steps to ensure that appropriate arrangements would be made to participate therein; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16716/07]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under my Department's Free Fees Initiative the Exchequer meets the tuition fees of eligible Students who are attending approved full-time undergraduate courses in the State. The Free Fees Initiative does not extend to postgraduate study in Ireland, however if a candidate qualifies for the means-tested maintenance grant he/she could have their fees paid up to the maximum fee limit. The maximum fee limit in respect of the 2006/2007 academic year was €5,730.

Under the terms of my Department's Third Level Maintenance Grant Schemes, which are administered on behalf of my Department by the Local Authorities and the Vocational Education Committees, the position is that generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to residence, age, means, nationality and previous academic attainment. An approved course for the purpose of the Schemes means a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years duration and full-time postgraduate course of not less than one years duration pursued in an approved institution.

Under the terms of the Third Level Student Support Schemes, a student is not eligible for grant assistance in respect of a second period of study at the same level, irrespective of whether a grant was paid previously. The schemes also provide that grants may not be paid to candidates who already hold a postgraduate qualification and are pursuing a second post graduate qualification. Notwithstanding this condition, candidates who already hold a postgraduate qualification and are progressing to a further postgraduate course which represents progression from the level at which the previous postgraduate qualification(s) was attained, may be deemed eligible for grant aid.

Section 473A, Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, provides for tax relief, at the standard rate of tax, for tuition fees paid in respect of approved full/part-time courses in both private and publicly funded third level Colleges and Universities in the State and any other E.U.Member State. Further details and conditions in relation to this tax relief are available from the student's local Revenue Commissioners Office.

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