Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 127: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills her plans to put in place a scheme to allow students at private third-level colleges to avail of student grants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38560/10]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 141: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the reason third level maintenance grants are not available to persons attending a college (details supplied) in Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38712/10]

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 157: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will respond to a request from students in private third level colleges for their inclusion in access to the higher education grants scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39110/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 141 and 157 together.

The statutory framework for the Higher Education Grants Scheme, as set out in the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1969 to 1992, provides for means-tested higher education grants to assist students to attend full-time third level education in approved institutions. The institutions approved under the scheme are, generally speaking, publicly-funded third level colleges offering full-time courses at undergraduate and post-graduate level. Each year, the Higher Education Grants Scheme specifies a list of institutions approved for the purposes of the scheme.

My Department provides very significant funding to publicly-funded third level institutions in the State. This funding is used to provide a very broad range of courses to meet both economic and societal needs. Private commercial colleges, in general, operate on a "for profit" basis and the State has no say in directing their operations. I have no plans to extend the scope of the student grant schemes to private colleges operated on a "for profit" basis at this time. My Department has received correspondence from the group referred to by the Deputy and a reply will issue shortly.