Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 360: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 553 of 29 October 2008, the section and subsection or article of regulation that precludes the students of distance learning courses from support under the higher education grants; the section and subsection or article of regulation that defines a distance learning course as a part-time course; the definition of a full-time course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38597/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The statutory framework for the student maintenance grants scheme, as set out in the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992, provides for means-tested higher education grants to assist students to attend full-time third-level education.

Clause 1, 1.1 of the Higher Education Grants Scheme defines an approved course as a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in one of the approved institutions listed at Appendix 1 (A) and 1 (B) of the scheme. Distance learning courses do not meet this definition.

In the higher education sector, a course is considered to be full-time where the student is attending an intramural day course at a third level institution and devoting their whole working time to their academic studies.