Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 303: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a mature student grant in the case of a person (details supplied) who wishes to apply for a grant in order to undertake a higher diploma in education which is a required qualification for all teaching posts in secondary schools and who has a primary degree and a graduate diploma; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29140/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Financial assistance is available to students under the maintenance grant schemes, which are administered by the local authorities and Vocational Education Committees on behalf of my Department. Students who are entering approved courses for the first time are eligible for grants where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to age, residence, means, nationality and previous academic attainment.

Under the terms of the Higher Education Grants Scheme, a student is not eligible for grant assistance in respect of a second period of study at the same level, irrespective of whether or not a grant was paid previously. However, financial assistance is available to eligible candidates who already hold a postgraduate qualification and who wish to enter a further postgraduate course at a higher level which represents progression from the level at which the first qualification was attained.

The progression route at postgraduate level, for grant purposes, is as follows: Higher Diploma/Postgraduate Diploma; Masters; PhD/Doctorate. Candidates who hold a diploma qualification and are pursuing a second diploma qualification cannot be considered for funding.

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.