Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 533: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is entitled to the third level grant as they are currently completing a specialised four year graduate only accelerated course in medicine in the UK. [17039/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It is unclear from the Deputy's question whether the student referred to is pursuing a second undergraduate course — with a graduate entry requirement — or whether the course in medicine is at postgraduate level. In the case of this query relating to a second undergraduate course I wish to advise that under the prescribed terms and conditions of my Department's student maintenance grant schemes grant assistance may not generally be awarded in the respect of a repeat period of study at the same level, irrespective of whether or not funding was previously awarded.

If the query relates to postgraduate study in the UK I wish to advice that in 1996/97, my Department's student support schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants to eligible students pursuing approved full-time undergraduate courses of at least two years duration in other EU Member States. The courses must be followed in a university or third level institution, which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds. The extension of the schemes at that time did not extend to courses at postgraduate level.

Any extension of the current arrangements, to provide for students pursuing post-graduate courses in the U.K. generally would have to be considered within the context of all other E.U. Member States. There are no plans at present to extend the current arrangements to provide for students pursuing post-graduate courses outside of Ireland. Such a proposal would have to be considered in light of existing resources and other competing demands in the education sector.

However, 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 colleges outside of Ireland. This relief, which is available from the tax year 2000/01 onwards, applies at the standard rate of tax. Further details and conditions in relation to this tax relief are available from the candidate's local Tax Office.