Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 400: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if free third level fees apply in all cases to claimants of back to education allowance; and the position in relation to people who have already availed of free fees and wish to pursue another degree under the allowance or those who wish to pursue a postgraduate course. [14761/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Free Fees Initiative the Exchequer meets the tuition fees of eligible full-time undergraduate students including such persons, as referred to by the Deputy, once they meet the criteria of the Initiative. The main conditions are that students must be first-time undergraduates and hold EU nationality and have been ordinarily resident in an EU Member State for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course. Whilst persons pursuing a second undergraduate degree cannot, in general, avail of free fees, persons who have not completed an undergraduate course at level 8 may qualify for free fee concessions under the Initiative in certain circumstances. The Free Fees Initiative does not extend to postgraduate study.