Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 773: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will review the exclusion of many parents of Irish born children, who have long-term residency rights from the chance to qualify for higher education grants; and if she will ensure that people are not turned down on grounds of prior study at degree level if the qualification in question is not recognised here. [20593/07]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 815: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will confirm having received correspondence from a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if she will take steps on foot thereon to consider the inclusion of peoples specified therein for eligibility to benefit from the provision of higher education grants to third level institutions and universities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20952/07]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 854: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will make third level grants available to the non Irish parents of Irish born children equivalent to the grants available to Irish citizens; if she will respond to correspondence from a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21139/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 773, 815 and 854 together.

My Department funds three maintenance grant schemes for third level students which are administered by the Local Authorities and the Vocational Education Committees. The Higher Education Grant Scheme operates under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts 1968 to 1992. Generally speaking, students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for maintenance grants where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to age, residence, means, nationality and previous academic attainment.

Under the nationality requirements of the schemes, students must:—

hold E.U. Nationality; or

have Official Refugee Status; or

have been granted Humanitarian Leave to Remain in the State (prior to the Immigration Act 1999); or

be a person in respect of whom the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has granted permission to remain following a determination not to make a deportation order under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999; or

have permission to remain in the State by virtue of marriage to an Irish national residing in the State, or be the child of such person, not having EU nationality; or

have permission to remain in the State by virtue of marriage to a national of another EU Member State who is residing in the State and who is or has been employed, or self-employed, in the State, or be the child of such a person, not having EU nationality; or

be nationals of a member country of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland

Under the terms of my Department's Higher Education Grants Scheme, maintenance grants are not payable to candidates who already hold an undergraduate degree and are pursuing a second undergraduate degree. Similarly tuition fees, under the Free Fees Initiative, are not payable in respect of a second period of college attendance on a course at the same level. These restrictions apply to every student who already holds a qualification at the same level, irrespective of where that qualification was obtained or whether or not funding was previously awarded. Clause 7.6 of the Higher Education Grant Scheme refers in this regard.

There are no plans at present to extend the nationality clause of the maintenance grant schemes. Any extension to the scope of the schemes can be considered only in the light of available resources and in the context of competing demands within the education sector.

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 one's local Revenue Commissioners Office.