Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 496: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal has been refused a grant upon returning to education as a mature student; if it is Government policy to penalise students who become unwell during their education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25262/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education 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 and nationality.

The decision on eligibility for third level or further education grants is a matter for the relevant local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is desired.

Under the prescribed terms and conditions of my Department's student maintenance grant schemes, grant assistance may not generally be awarded in respect of a repeat period of study at the same level, irrespective of whether or not funding was previously awarded. However, the awarding body may waive this provision in exceptional circumstances such as cases of certified serious illness. It should be emphasised, however, that this discretion would generally only be exercised where a candidate is repeating a period of study on the same course.

However, Section 473A, Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997, provides tax relief, at the standard rate of tax, for tuition fees paid in respect of approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including certain approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in E.U. Member States and in non EU countries.

The application form (I.T. 31 Form) to claim tax relief on tuition fees is available from the Revenue Commissioners. Further information is available from the candidate's Local Tax Office or alternatively from Revenue's Internet site at www.revenue.ie.

Any general extension to the scope of the grants scheme can be considered only in the light of available resources and in the context of competing demands and priorities within the education sector. There are no plans at present to extend the scope of the student support schemes to students who have previously pursued a course but not completed it.

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 497: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if there are plans to subsidise students from the north west to allow them to attend universities in Northern Ireland giving them the same educational opportunities as the students in the rest of the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25266/07]

Mary 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 undergraduate third-level courses in the State. There are no plans to extend this initiative to cover third level institutions in Northern Ireland.

Under my Department's Higher Education Grant Schemes, maintenance grants are available to eligible students pursuing approved undergraduate courses in other EU Member States, including Northern Ireland. In general, approved courses are those pursued in a third level institution, which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds. However the payment of undergraduate tuition fees under these schemes does not extend to approved courses outside the State and there are no plans to change this position at present.

It is understood however that students attending Higher Education Institutions in Northern Ireland and who are ordinarily resident in a Member State of the European Union will be eligible for a fee loan from the Northern Ireland Authorities up to the amount charged by the Higher Education Institution. Further clarification can be sought by the individual from the Department of Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland. Their e-mail address is studentfinance@delni.gov.uk.

Section 473A Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997 also provides for tax relief on tuition fees, at the standard rate of tax in respect of approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including certain approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU and non-EU member states.