Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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156. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the situation with respect to student fees for cross-Border students in view of Brexit; if he will guarantee currently enrolled students from the North or Britain that they will not be considered as international students for fee purposes in view of Brexit; if he discussed this matter with his counterparts in Britain or the North; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29721/16]

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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172. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans his Department has made to address the potential impact of Brexit on the education system, particularly in the areas of research and development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29737/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 172 together.

The Government has a contingency framework in place which maps the key issues that will be most important to Ireland in the coming weeks and months. The Government has published the key actions that will be taken to address the contingencies arising from the UK's decision to leave the EU.

My Department participated fully in and contributed to the preparation of this framework for the education sector and have identified student flows as a priority area. Negotiations on the future EU UK relationship will now be required and officials from my Department will engage fully in these discussions with the EU and the UK to protect our special relationship with Northern Ireland and the UK.

My Department is conscious of the resulting pressures that may fall on the Irish higher education system following the UK's decision to leave the EU. My Department will be liaising with all relevant parties, including the relevant education departments in the UK in relation to these pressures.  These include issues with regard to the movement of students between this State and the UK, fees and student grant arrangements and engagement in research cooperation, including under EU funding programmes.

The Irish Universities Association has issued a statement reassuring all UK students currently enrolled in an Irish university that they will continue to enjoy the same conditions as other EU students regarding fees and contributions, for the duration of their degree. The Irish universities also confirmed that UK applicants planning to enter an Irish university in 2016 will likewise enjoy these same conditions as other EU students for the duration of their degree.

In addition, Universities UK and the UK Student Loans Company (SLC) have made statements regarding EU nationals studying in the UK. Universities UK have stated that their first priority will be to convince the UK Government to take steps to ensure that students from EU countries can continue to study at British universities in the long term. The UK SLC has stated that EU nationals or their family members, currently in higher education, and who are assessed as eligible to receive loans and/or grants from the SLC, will continue to receive these loans and grants until they finish their course.