Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 672: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the plans he has to correct the anomaly in the third level scholarship schemes whereby the administration and implementation of the gaeltacht scholarship scheme seems to differ from the Easter Week Commemoration and Donagh O'Malley Scholarships where the maintenance rate and criteria differ greatly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22932/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department offers 50 Third Level Scholarships annually for students from all-Irish schools under three scholarship schemes as follows:

Scéim Scoláireachtaí Triú Leibhéal do Mhic Léinn Ón nGaeltacht

Scéim Scoláireachtaí Triú Leibhéal (Trí Ghaeilge Teoranta)

Scéim Scoláireachtaí Ghaeilge Triú Leibhéil (Neamh-Theoranta)

These scholarships are awarded to those students who have, among other things, attended an all-Irish second level school and reached a certain minimum standard in the Leaving Certificate Examination. These scholarships are only tenable in respect of specified third level courses. Applications are required for these scholarships.

My Department also operates a number of other scholarship schemes with different criteria, requirements and objectives. For example, it awards seven Easter Week Commemoration Scholarships annually on the basis of the Leaving Certificate results. An Easter Week Commemoration Scholarship is a highly prestigious award as only one scholarship is awarded annually in commemoration of each signatory of the 1916 Proclamation of Independence. Sixteen Donogh O'Malley Scholarships are awarded to the top-performing Leaving Certificate students in DEIS schools — these students must also meet certain socio-economic criteria to qualify for this scholarship.

Clearly, it is appropriate that there should be different terms and conditions pertaining to each of the scholarship schemes. There are no plans at present to depart from the current arrangements.