John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 102: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if grant assistance is available for a person (details supplied) in County Limerick taking an honours degree with Open University. [45166/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant grant awarding authority i.e. the applicant's local authority or VEC. Where a grant application is refused, the reason for the refusal is given by the grant awarding authority. An applicant may appeal the decision to the relevant local authority or VEC. Where the grant awarding authority decides to reject the appeal, the applicant may appeal this decision to my Department by submitting an appeal form outlining clearly the grounds for the appeal. No appeal has been received by my Department to date from the candidate referred to by the Deputy.

The statutory framework for the student grants scheme, as set out in the Local Authorities (Higher education Grants) Acts, 1969 to 1992, provides for means-tested higher education grants in order to assist students to attend full-time third level education. An approved course, for the purposes of the Higher Education Grants Scheme is a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one-year duration pursued in an approved third-level institution. The institutions approved under the Scheme are publicly funded third level colleges offering full-time courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Similarly under the terms of the Free Fees Initiative, whereby the State meets the tuition costs of eligible students, an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of a minimum duration of two years in an approved third level institution. Courses provided by the Open University are not approved courses under the terms of the student grant schemes or the Free Fees Initiative.