Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 249: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if assistance is available to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who plans to undertake a masters course while in full-time employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27460/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 263: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the options available in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is in full-time employment but plans to undertake a masters course part-time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27474/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 249 together.

The Higher Education Grants Schemes operate under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1968 to 1992. Under the Higher Education Grants Scheme an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution. An approved institution is defined to mean a university, university college or other institution of higher education in so far as it provides a course or courses of not less than two years duration, being a course, or courses, which the Minister for Education and Science approves for the time being for the purposes of the Acts.

There are no plans at present to extend the scope of the student support schemes to part-time courses. However, Section 473A, Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997 provides for tax relief, at the standard rate of tax, for tuition fees paid in respect of approved full/part-time courses in both private and publicly funded third level Colleges and Universities in the State and any other E.U. Member State. Further details and conditions in relation to this tax relief are available from a candidate's local tax offices or on Revenue's website at http://www.revenue.ie.