Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions the Prime Minister has had with the President of the Republic of Ireland on the undergraduates from England studying at Irish universities; and whether the current financial arrangements will be made available to (a) them and (b) EU citizens after the UK leaves the EU.

The UK government is firmly committed to maintaining the Common Travel Area (CTA) and to protecting the rights enjoyed by UK and Irish nationals when in each other’s states.

Article 5 of the Northern Ireland Protocol to the draft Withdrawal Agreement builds on December’s joint report and confirms that the UK and Ireland can continue to make arrangements between themselves concerning the CTA.

This means that rights to enter, reside, work, study and access social security and public services will be preserved on a reciprocal basis for UK and Irish nationals in the other’s state.

Arrangements on access to student finance support for other EU nationals starting a course in England after the transition period ends are under consideration.