Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if fees (details supplied) for the recently redundant will be covered under the grant schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12705/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The statutory framework for the maintenance grants scheme, as set out in the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1969 to 1992, provides for means-tested higher education grants in order 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 in the appendices to 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.