Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 119: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the budget allocated for the provision of the Government of Ireland scholarship to the MEconSc programme in European economic and public affairs in UCD; the budget for the programme for previous years; and the percentage of the education budget devoted to this scholarship. [26957/09]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 120: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of what the Government of Ireland scholarship to the MEconSc programme in European economic and public affairs in UCD covers in respect of tuition fees, of accommodation and of miscellaneous expenses; and the breakdown of the expenditure that the scholarship has incurred in each of these categories for 2009 and previous years. [26958/09]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 121: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of participants who will be in receipt of the Government of Ireland scholarship to the MEconSc programme in European economic and public affairs in UCD for the academic year 2009-2010; and the number of recipients in previous years. [26959/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 to 121, inclusive, together.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has funded scholarships for civil servants from candidate countries and new Member States in UCD since 2002. The programme is funded from a budget line of the Department of Foreign Affairs relating to a programme of support for public administrations in candidate countries and new Member States to improve their capacity to deal with the demands of membership and has no implications for the Education budget. This programme is designed to facilitate the building of productive links between Ireland and those countries that have recently joined the EU or are candidates for membership.

The Government of Ireland Scholarship currently funds six students at a cost of €300,000 for a year's study in the UCD School of Politics and International Relations towards an MEconSc in European Economic and Public Affairs. The scholarships include fees, accommodation (usually on-campus), expenses for obligatory field trips to Brussels and Florence, but not a living stipend. A breakdown for the various categories covered is not available but the bulk of the scholarship goes towards fees, which may vary depending on whether the scholarships are awarded to EU students or those from candidate countries. The total expenditure on the Scholarships since 2002 has been €2.267 million.

The students are selected, by UCD, on merit from the public administrations of the new and candidate states with the double aim to improve the training and education of individual public servants and to increase the reputation and influence of Ireland among a growing cadre of actual and potential senior public servants. To date, 80 students have availed of the programme from 14 of the 15 eligible countries (the twelve accession Member States and the candidate states Croatia, Turkey and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), including the six students who have recently completed the course in the 2008-2009 academic year. As the application process for the academic year 2009-2010 is still underway, the number of beneficiaries in 2009/2010 has not yet been determined but is likely to be in or around the same number as the 2008-2009 academic year.

Apart from the obvious value of the programme to the participants and the countries they represent, the development of a body of officials with a generally positive experience of Ireland and an understanding of Irish society and administration is of great assistance in building networks of contacts. This is of great value in the work of our Embassies and is of particular importance in countries with which Ireland has limited traditional links.